Taylor ‘We Became A Bit Flustered’

Rotherham United Manager Matt Taylor said his team ‘didn’t create enough’ in their home game with Luton Town today.

Speaking to Radio Sheffield after the two-nil defeat the Millers Boss said, ‘It was a pretty even game to start off with and we weren’t quite good enough with our use of the ball especially in that first half-an-hour.

‘We needed to hold on with their pressure before half-time which we thought we’d done with Josh’s (Vickers) save but a moment of real quality, and some bad defensive play from ourselves, saw us one-nil down. And I couldn’t believe what happened at the start of the second half which gave us a mountain to climb. We aren’t a good chasing team and we become a little bit flustered but we were probably second best in too many departments today. It was a difficult afternoon.’

And I think that about sums it up. We were second best. And yet, I’ve seen better teams at the New York Stadium than Luton Town this season where we’ve been equal to them. I don’t know if the players were a bit in awe of the Hatters and stood off them a bit although, to be fair, every time a player went down there was a free-kick which must dent your confidence a little.

Asked about the penalty that was given Matt said, ‘It was a penalty. There were two mistakes. But we might had had a penalty shout too. It happens but it was a reflection on how we were today and we were a little bit short. They (Luton) showed us today why they are where they are and we are where we are.

‘We didn’t get close enough to the oppositions goal quite often enough and when you are chasing the game at two-nil the opposition can sit back and soak up any pressure.

‘Josh (Vickers) played well again and we protected him pretty well. There have been games this season when our goalkeeper has been worked a lot more. We thought with that double save just before half-time he’d given us the platform to go in level and then the penalty save if it had gone anywhere else but it went straight back to the taker. Richard Wood did fine when he came on and it was great to have him back in the fold. It’s important we use him for certain games.’

So we move onto Tuesday when Burnley could become champions of the Championship. But will they really want to do that away from Turf Moor?