Rotherham United in safe hands with Josh Vickers

That might just ring true for Rotherham United and while plaudits have been bestowed upon the likes of Michael Smith, Richard Wood, Ben Wiles and Dan Barlaser so far this season – and others as well – every top side has a top goalkeeper.

The League One leaders are fortunate to have two in the shape of Josh Vickers and Viktor Johnasson.

Vickers has assumed a fair bit of importance of late and was in eye-catching form once again as the Millers secured a ninth shut-out in 10 league matches – and 20th clean sheet of the campaign – in a midweek 0-0 draw at Shrewsbury Town.

On a night when the Millers were by no means at their best, they took away a point for their labours and have incredibly still to concede in the first half of a league game this season on their travels.

Vickers, who carried on his exemplary recent form, said: “It’s a cliche, but it is my job and what I am paid to do.

“Our [defensive] record is not just down to the goalkeeping department or defenders, but the whole team. It is about the strikers pressing and at the weekend, Smudge [Smith] made two tackles on the edge of our box and Freddie [Ladapo] is pressing.

“It is a whole collective effort we take a lot of pride in and long may it continue.

“It was about going away with something. Against Fleetwood away, it was similar and we should have got something and we didn’t. We shut up shop.”

By the Millers’ high standards, their display in Shropshire still represented a bit of a disappointment and it will have been noted by manager Paul Warne, who always puts a great premium on performance driving results.

That said, a return of four points from successive away trips to Plymouth and Shrewsbury is a haul which is not to be sniffed at, in the final analysis.

Vickers continued: “We know we can perform better than we did. But we know we can deal with that and I am sure we will.”

Barlaser, who missed the game to attend the birth of his child, should be available again for the weekend game with MK Dons.