Rotherham United 0 Cheltenham 0: Cannot fault Millers' effort, says Moore

Ronnie Moore is planning to end Rotherham United's season at Wembley rather than Edgar Street.

The man who led the Millers to back-to-back automatic promotions a decade ago has found the going a little tougher second time around.

Yet, despite a worrying case of the promotion jitters, his players are still in pole position to secure play-off qualification.

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With three games to go, the Millers are fourth in League Two, three points clear of those trying to gatecrash the top seven.

However, even if they do fail to go up, Moore's future at the club next season has been guaranteed by club chairman Tony Stewart.

"Ronnie is here to stay whether we go up or not," says Stewart.

"I have spoken to Ronnie, I needed to tell him, and he thanked me very much," he added.

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"He is capable of maximising the potential of the existing team and I will be working with him to make sure we are all motivated and we are all optimistic."

Regardless of any added job security, Moore firmly intends to complete the task of steering his beloved club back to League One this season – even if it does have to be done the hard way.

But, in order to secure play-off qualification, the Millers could need two wins from the remaining three fixtures against Barnet, Crewe Alexandra and Hereford United.

After dropping two points at home to lowly Cheltenham Town, Moore said: "It looks like it is going to go to the final day now.

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"If we win our games, no-one can catch us but, if we lose them, we will be under pressure. There's no reason why we can't hold on. We have got enough here, they are are good players and if they perform we will win the games."

The Millers had lost four games on the bounce prior to a midweek victory over Northampton Town and that sequence of results allowed Bournemouth to take a stranglehold on the third automatic promotion spot.

Although the men from the south coast still need two more points to join promoted Notts County and Rochdale in League One next season, it would need an amazing reversal of results to stop them now.

"It is frustrating that Bournemouth have won because we wanted to keep on their shirt tails," said Moore. "But if we can't get automatic promotion, why shouldn't we be one of the teams that gets to the play-off final at Wembley?"

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Moore shuffled his pack due to the suspension of Danny Harrison – recalling Mark Lynch at right-back, moving Nick Fenton into the centre of defence, and pushing Pablo Mills into midfield.

Cheltenham had virtually allayed any fears of relegation by winning three of their previous four games but, for the first 45 minutes at the Don Valley Stadium, looked like lambs to the slaughter.

The Millers, who mixed passing football with more direct stuff at times, failed to take advantage of their superiority and a string of opportunities went begging.

Winger Kevin Ellison spurned by far the best opportunity when mis-kicking in front of goal after a slip by goalkeeper Scott Brown.

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Hot-shot Adam Le Fondre was then denied by a finger-tip save and Marcus Marshall, Nicky Law and Ellison all went close.

Millers defender Gavin Gunning was booked for a challenge on David Bird that eventually saw the Cheltenham midfielder limp off the field. Gunning was hauled off shortly after the break to avoid a red card.

Cheltenham eventually grew in confidence and started to ask questions of the Millers defence.

Manager Mark Yates felt his side had 'matched' the Millers and created the two best chances of the game.

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The first saw Nick Fenton blocking a goalbound volley and, right at the end, captain Ian Sharps cleared off the line from Medy Elito.

But Mills had a shot hacked off the Cheltenham line at a corner and substitute Craig McAllister nearly grabbed a winner in stoppage time when his curling shot was pushed around the post by goalkeeper Brown.

"We huffed and we puffed but we didn't blow the house down," said Moore. "I can't fault the effort and the commitment but we have got to be more ruthless in the final third.

"God knows how many points we need," he added. "It's tight but it might have been worse. We know what we have got to do, simple as that."

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Moore revealed that striker Drewe Broughton had not been on the bench due to injury. Although midfielder Josh Walker limped off with a dead leg, he will be fit for the trip to Barnet.

Rotherham United: Warrington; Lynch, Sharps, Fenton, Gunning (Green 58); Law, Mills, Walker (Bell-Baggie 71), Ellison; Marshall (McAllister 82), Le Fondre. Unused substitutes: Annerson, Warne, Cummins, Haggerty.

Cheltenham Town: Brown; Gallinagh, Eastham, Duff, Andrew; Low, Bird (Thornhill 43), Pook, Elito; Hayles, Richards. Unused substitutes: Puddy, Hutton, Almond, Ridley, Alsop, Brown.

Referee: GD Horwood (Bedfordshire).

MATCH FOCUS

Hero: Nicky Law

The Millers midfield play-maker has been out of sorts in the last few months but he bounced back against Cheltenham with a performance that showed why he was a target for Championship club Blackpool this season.

Villain: Kevin Ellison

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Although the Millers winger worked hard all afternoon, he will not want reminding of the missed opportunity that could have opened the floodgates to secure a precious victory.

Key moment

20th minute: Goalkeeper Scott Brown makes a hash of a clearance, Ellison makes a bigger mess from 12 yards out.

Ref watch

Graham Horwood: Showed leniency towards Gavin Gunning but upset home fans with an offside decision against Law.

Verdict

Two points dropped for the Millers, who now have to make sure of play-off qualification after missing out on a top three spot.

Next game

Barnet v Rotherham, Saturday, April 24, League Two, 3.00pm.

Quote of the day

Is that all it is? It's a lot worse than we thought it was.

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– Millers manager Ronnie Moore after realising that only three points seperates his side from eighth spot.

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