RUFC – Moore frustrated after draw

Rotherham United Manager, Ronnie Moore said it had been a frustrating night after seeing the Millers lose a one-nil lead at Don Valley to lowly Torquay.

Speaking after the game to MillersPlayer Moore said, ‘I thought we did OK first half without being brilliant. We got the goal we wanted and on a good day for Alfie, when he went through in the second half, that would have ended up in the back of the net and that would have been game over. But we should have put the game to bed in the first half when we put some decent crosses in.

‘I don`t know what it is about second halves here, but we tend to go too deep and give away too many unnecessary free kicks and throw-ins.

‘We said at half-time, if they`re going to score it`s going to come from a set play. And, it was the only time all night that we didn`t deal with the first ball. But we`ve got to learn that we cannot keep playing as deep as we do in the second half – it`s as though a nervous thing sets in and the back four go deep and the midfield players can`t get in contact with those up front. We`ve lobbed too many long balls up and Guy Branston has headed everything all night. And, I thought he frightened the life out of our two up front. Our front two were quiet today but it didn`t help with the service. At half-time we said we must finish our attacks behind their back four but unfortunately we didn`t do that.`

Talking about Gary Roberts` sending off, Moore said, ‘There was no malice in the challenge and I thought it was a bit harsh. He was going for the ball and it wasn`t as though he was trying to injure the other lad. Even their centre-halves said to the ref that you can`t be booking him for that. He`s also done his shoulder and is off for an x-ray so there could be some bad news about him.`

Gavin Gunning was stretchered off during the first half of the game and his manager said, ‘He`s got a split head, is very dizzy and was sick. He`s had a couple of stitches in it but we are hopeful he`ll be OK for the game on Monday.`

Talking about the Don Valley pitch, which looked quite bad this evening, Moore said, ‘We defended the bad area first half and then thought now it`s our turn to put them on the back foot but we didn`t. And, to be fair, the good side isn`t good now and although it looks alright from the stands it`s quite heavy on there. There`s been four games on that since we were last here and one of them was a rugby game and there is another one on Sunday so we don`t really have a say on what happens here. So, even trying to put the pitch right is no good to us because our grounds men put it right then people come and play on it.`

Ronnie Moore wasn`t impressed with the fact that the fans were cheering when he took Kevin Ellison off and said, ‘Everyone goes through a bit of bad form and the last thing you want is everybody cheering when he comes off. He is going through a bad time and he could do without that. But, he will come through it.`