Rotherham 0 Preston 0: Improved Millers get off mark in stalemate

In contrast to the events of May 15, 2014 , when Rotherham reached the League One play-off final after a 3-1 victory over North End, last night was a rather more muted affair, with no celebrations on the balcony from Steve Evans or Tony Stewart either following the final whistle.

This time the prize was not Wembley, but three craved-for Championship points and while the Millers failed on that count and saw their winless league streak at the start of the campaign increase to three matches, there were at least a couple of key redeeming features.

After a thoroughly forgettable opening-day home shocker against MK Dons – there was barely any mention of that wretched 4-1 loss in the matchday programme – the Millers were afforded a welcome clean sheet and a first point of the season.

As the saying goes, you have to start somewhere.

A draw was hardly a big surprise given a plethora so far in an ultra-competitive second-tier and a heavy August schedule when teams are often not at their flowing best.

Points – or a point – invariably have more currency than performance for managers in the first few weeks of the season and last night’s draw certainly wasn’t the worst in the world as far as the Millers were concerned.

The hosts’ defensive organisation was much sounder and far removed from the meek and alarming offering against MK, but more polish and cutting edge is required further forward.

Evans has spoken about every Championship point being a good one and given the fact that there will be few ‘free lunches’ against teams at this level in a division which looks as tough as ever, you can see where he is coming from.

Moreso given that Preston went perilously close to taking three points in the final 15 minutes with Bailey Wright heading against the bar and then substitute Neil Kilkenny seeing his goalbound long-ranger turned away by Kelle Roos.

A shut-out for Roos, under some fire after some well-publicised and costly errors in goal in the Millers’ previous two Championship matches, will have also been welcomed by the Dutchman, in his first season as a first-team regular.

Roos could almost afford to get the deckchair out in a first-half in which he was hardly called into action.

Given his travails against MK Dons and Nottingham Forest, some would have seen that as perhaps being no bad thing.

In truth, neither goalkeeper was overextended in an even half, with the Millers providing the one quality moment in the 13th minute.

Skills befitting of a winger from Lewis Buxton saw him jink past a couple of defenders before delivering a dangerous cross which was hooked just wide by Matt Derbyshire.

With Richie Smallwood policing the area just in front of the back four in a 4-1-4-1 formation, the hosts’ defence was afforded protection with Preston’s incursions rarely threatening.

Roos had just one shot to save, comfortably handling a token effort from Joe Garner, kept quiet alongside the likes of Daniel Johnson and Paul Gallagher.

Preston hinted at upping the ante on the restart, with Garner nipping in front of Roos following a long punt from Tom Clarke and heading towards goal, but his effort lacked power and Buxton cleared easily.

Will Keane then fired a well-struck effort over before play switched to the other end with Joe Newell dragging an effort wide in a rare Millers foray.

Evans and his coaching staff soon made a double change in an effort to pep up his side, with Aidy White and Jonson Clarke-Harris entering the fray.

It at least had the desired effect of bringing some badly-needed energy into the hosts’ offensive play and enlivened the home fans.

Showing a spot of reverse psychology perhaps with an eye of utilising him against Preston, Evans had spoken ahead of the game of Clarke-Harris needing to step up to the plate and he was soon afforded a decent chance to endear himself into Evans’s good books, but lacked composure in blazing over when well placed.

But the increase in the Millers tempo was notable, particularly from the lively Clarke-Harris with Preston suddenly forced onto the back foot.

Despite the willingness from the hosts, clear-cut chances remained scant with Preston soaking up the mini-spell of pressure.

With 12 minutes left, Wright’s header following Gallagher’s corner crashed against the woodwork before Roos splendidly denied Kilkenny and then gathered Paul Huntington’s point-blank header.

Rotherham United: Roos; Buxton, Halford, Collins, Mattock (Green 71); Maguire (White 56), Frecklington, Smallwood, Newell, Bowery (Clarke-Harris 57); Derbyshire. Unused substitutes: Ledesma, Grant Ward, Collin, Thorpe.

Preston North End: Pickford; Clarke, Huntington, Wright; Humphrey (Vermijl 71), Johnson, Welsh (Browne 93), Gallagher, Cunningham; Garner, Keane (Kilkenny 71). Unused substitutes: Kirkland, Woods, Reid, Brownhill.

Referee: D Coote (Notts).