MISERLY MILLERS IMPRESS GARETH
WYCOMBE Wanderers manager Gareth Ainsworth praised Rotherham United’s defending after their miserly backline shut his team out at Adams Park.
The Chairboys had the better of the play over 90 minutes, but the Millers showed just why they have only conceded five goals on the road in League One all season as a meeting between these two finished goalless for the second time in the campaign.
The draw suited Rotherham more, as they remained four points clear at the top, but Wycombe’s play-off hopes are no longer in their own hands, with them now three points adrift of the top six. Ainsworth said: “That’s what league leaders do and that’s why they’re at the top of the league because they are very tough to break down.
“They go forward well, but not today. I thought we really dampened any attacks and didn’t face any serious shots on goal, whereas I thought we were the aggressors.
“We had the chances, the fans were great – they got behind us – and hopefully we can recreate that sort of performance on Tuesday night against Fleetwood.
“We’ve got the likes of Sheffield Wednesday and Portsmouth to play, but then we also have teams who are scrapping for their lives.
“We’ve got to make sure that we are absolutely consistent.”
Wycombe had a pair of good chances in the early stages, as Jason McCarthy’s effort was beaten away by Josh Vickers, before Sam
Vokes flicked over a header from close range.
Top scorer Michael Smith then threatened for Rotherham when his header from Dan Barlaser’s free-kick needed to be tipped over by Chairboys goalkeeper David Stockdale.
There was then a big opportunity for the hosts in first-half stoppage time when Vokes stabbed wide after Ryan Tafazolli helped Joe Jacobson’s free kick back into his path.
The best chance of a poor second half came when Anthony
Stew- art headed Daryl Horgan’s hung-up cross into the side netting, as a disappointing encounter finished goalless.
Rotherham boss Paul Warne said: “I thought first half we were good and I thought we created really good chances.
“It’s often the case when you don’t take your chances that you might not get any more and we didn’t really create enough second half.
“But if you’d offered me a point beforehand, would I have took it, and a clean sheet? Yeah, possibly. Would I like us to play better? Obviously, I would but considering on the back of the Wednesday night [at Hartlepool], we got back one o’clock Thursday morning, I think the lads put a real shift in.”