Defiant Rotherham United boss Lee Clark not throwing in towel ahead of League One derby with Barnsley

The third-from-bottom Millers are 11 points adrift of safety following the loss in the Potteries, with just six matches remaining.

In three matches since taking over from Matt Hamshaw, former Huddersfield Town chief Clark is yet to see his side score, let alone win.

Rotherham have not scored in their past four-and-half matches and their goal drought extends to around seven-and-a-half hours.

All told, since winning 4-0 at Exeter City at the end of January, the Millers have netted just four times in their last 12 games.

But Clark, handed the interim reins for the reminder of the season, remained enthused by his side's efforts in the second half at Vale Park, when they created plenty of chances, but failed to display a cutting edge.

Questioned about the club's ailing prospects of staving off relegation, Clark, whose side welcome fellow off-form Yorkshire side Barnsley on Saturday, said: "Absolutely not. There is still 18 points to play for.

"What is certain is that we can't waste a half of football like we did in the first half.

"We're not in a position to waste one minute, let alone a half.

"We gave away a really poor goal (a Ryan Croasdale shot) and didn't ask enough questions of their defenders. It was poor play in terms of us not being aggressive in the challenge and also then having the ball making the wrong decision on that.

"We did better at asking questions in the second half and missed good chances to score an equaliser. We have to cause chaos in the opposition penalty area and create more options."

You have to go back to 2012-13 for the last time that Rotherham found themselves in the bottom tier of the EFL.

Key wing-back Denzel Hall returned to action for the Millers on Tuesday night after being sidelined with a hamstring injury since January.

Hamish Douglas, who had been out with a hamstring issue, was an unused substitute.

Kian Spence could be in the mix for the derby against the Reds.