How win at Bradford City was a small step on road to recovery for Steve Evans' Rotherham United

THE phrase ‘mighty oaks grow from little acorns’ might just resonate a bit with Steve Evans as he looks to kickstart Rotherham United’s season.

The Millers manager, widely criticised alongside his players following the recent league loss at Barnsley, saw his side come out on the right side of another Yorkshire derby fixture on Tuesday night as they earned a 1-0 success at Bradford City in their final EFL Trophy group game.

It wasn't pretty, but it did the job with Rotherham winning Group H and securing a home tie in the next round into the bargain. Bradford have also qualified.

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The league remains the overriding priority for the Millers, who face a huge game at Crawley this weekend.

Rotherham United manager Steve Evans (Picture: Tony Johnson)Rotherham United manager Steve Evans (Picture: Tony Johnson)
Rotherham United manager Steve Evans (Picture: Tony Johnson)

But given the Millers' difficult time of it of late, it at least represents a start as they seek to transform their season before the new year.

Evans said: “When you have been in an average run of form, it’s small steps to make the big steps.

“If you try and think you can make a big step, you make a big step and then start losing a game in the next game out. We have to make small steps.

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“My players read my words when I said that they brought up that nobody is talking about a Charlton or a Peterborough, and they are having great seasons. What’s the point? They are just examples.

“We are going to get the pressure because we are Rotherham United in League One and Tony Stewart has set a hell of a precedent that people shouldn’t forget, which is putting millions every season into this football club to make sure we are not League One.”

The Millers' matchwinner was Shaun McWilliams, who fired an early winner to crown his return to the starting line-up and justified Evans' faith in promoting him.

The Scot added: “He's had terrible luck with injuries. When he has played meaningful parts in games, he's been good for us.

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“He's come in and just started to show what he can do and, bang, he gets a strain. Nothing major, but enough.

“The boy has to play when he's 100 per cent right. He looked a class above anyone else on the park for long spells. That's credit to him. He's been desperate to gain a starting shirt. He's given himself every chance, going forward, to claim a shirt.”

For Evans, it was another welcome result at Valley Parade, where he has now won all of his three matches as Millers manager over two spells, without conceding a goal.

He added: “I have been here when there has been 20-plus thousand here. I used to come here regularly when I was at Leeds and I used to wear a balaclava as I was Leeds United manager! I’m sure the police must have thought I was doing a robbery!

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“It’s a brilliant football club and every season this club is in League Two, the club must have the supporters behind them.

“People like Ryan Sparks work so hard behind the scenes and the owner, like our owner, puts his money in and it comes down ultimately to managing players.

“But every season they are in League Two means it’s a crying shame.”

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