Rotherham United manager Paul Warne reflects on the importance of points and not entertainment prizes after gritty victory at Blackpool

ROTHERHAM UNITED manager Paul Warne was left to reflect on a 'Disney' week after his side secured three successive victories in all competitions with a hard-fought 2-1 win at League One rivals Blackpool.
Paul Warne.Paul Warne.
Paul Warne.

Second-half goals from Michael Smith and ex-Seasiders defender Clark Robertson, promoted to the starting line-up after Joe Mattock suffered a quad injury in the warm-up, saw the Millers extend their unbeaten sequence against Pool, who have not beaten their Yorkshire counterparts in nine matches since March 1997.

Second-best in the first half to the fourth-placed hosts, Rotherham improved on the restart and made the most of their opportunities from set-pieces to register an important victory.

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Warne said: "They were causing us all sorts of problems in the first half. I just thought if I could get in at half-time at 0-0, I'd definitely take that as they were by far the better team.

"Fortunately for us, we had two chances and after an hour, I thought we were quite comfortable and might get something on the break. As the game went on, our keeper did less and less and I was pleased.

"Three wins is nice. It is a good ground for me, I harp on all the time about my league debut here and everyone goes on about the game two years ago when I was 45 minutes from the sack supposedly, although the chairman never told me that."Overall, three wins in a week is pretty Disney stuff, but we just need to keep going. We have 30-odd games left."To win important matches is great. We will definitely play better than that this year and we were not at our best. Away from home, you are not here to entertain the crowd, but get points and that's what we did. I am really proud of them.

"We didn't create a great deal in open play, if anything, so to score two set-pieces is credit to my coaches and they have done well."

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On Robertson's promotion to the starting line-up, he added: "He (Mattock) came in after the warm-up and I did not know there was an issue until the physio pulled me and said: 'He's got a little bit of a problem with his quad.'

"So I spoke to him and said how is it and he said he could run and be all right. I said if he could do a full-out sprint as in fairness he was playing against their best attacking threat and he said: 'well I am not sure, my quad could go.' I am a pretty zero-risk manager when it comes to that and I do not want him out for six weeks.

"Obviously, I put Robbo in and he has been struggling a little bit lately with a groin. He said he felt fine and Billy (Jones) was my 19th man and came into the squad. I have been harping onto the lads after the game about it being a squad game.

"Carlton Morris didn't get on, but his impact in midweek and in training keeps the lads on their toes. Someone has come in off the bench, played and done really well and scored a goal at his old club, which is great."