Paul Warne expects Rotherham United's promotion fate to go down to the wire

ROTHERHAM UNITED manager Paul Warne is fully expecting the Millers' automatic promotion fate in League One to go down right to the wire.

The Millers are on their worst run of league form this season - having lost four of their last five fixtures - but still remain in the top two, chiefly due to the fact that nearest rivals MK Dons are also enduring a form dip.

Warne's side - who lost at Burton on Tuesday - remain in second place on goal difference with a game in hand on third-placed MK, who have lost their last two matches and are winless in their past three games.

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Rotherham welcome play-off chasing Oxford in their final home match of the regular season on Saturday before visiting another promotion contender in Sunderland on Tuesday ahead of finishing their campaign at relegation-threatened Gillingham next weekend.

Paul Warne.Paul Warne.
Paul Warne.

Warne said: "With three games left, we are still in a really good position. But we have to win at least two of them, I presume.

"If we come up short, I appreciate it is on my shoulders and we go into the play-offs and we will build our lads up for that, but that is not our intention to win these games and get ourselves up.

"I do feel like it is going to go to the last game of the season and all we can do is try and win our games.

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"It is easier said than done because the (other) scores will come up in the corner and I had a feeling when we were playing Burton with the atmosphere of fans staying with the team and clapping the team off that results were being kind elsewhere.

"But we cannot keep relying on that and have to grab the games as best we can against a very good team on Saturday."

Alongside recent results dropping off, the Millers' form in front of goal is also giving cause for significant concern, with Warne's side having netted just once in their past five league matches.

He continued: "Our scoring prowess has definitely dropped off.

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"Some players possibly aren't as sharp as they once were. The other night, there were ample opportunities to score that we just didn't take.

"The lads need to get their shots off a little bit earlier and not look for the perfect goal. Sometimes you have to shoot through legs. We've had a week of practising set-pieces. I feel we have lost a massive threat on those. We don't feel like the force we once were."

Shane Ferguson is out for the season, but Jordi Osei-Tutu should be available this weekend despite coming off in midweek with injury.

"Shane's season is finished, unfortunately. He has damage to his pad under his foot so he is still in a lot of pain and in a boot," Warne confirmed.

"But Jordi has a good chance and I am pretty confident he will be available for selection."

Josh Vickers, Will Grigg and Mickel Miller are out for the season.

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