Rotherham United 0 Nottingham Forest 0: Forest stole a point, claims Evans

Steve Evans named an unchanged side for the first time this season and both they and Forest lined up 4-4-2, negating each other’s threat for most of the first half.

Dexter Blackstock failed to convert a couple of deep crosses from former Owl Michail Antonio but it was the Millers who twice went close shortly before the break.

Emmanuel Ledesma rattled the bar from 30 yards before Tom Lawrence side-footed wide from 14 yards from left-back Reece James’s low cross.

Blackstock headed home after the break but had already conceded a free-kick and Rotherham responded with Ben Pringle hooking the ball over from 12 yards and Reece James forcing Karl Darlow to save with his legs with a shot from the corner of the area.

Both sides made changes but to no avail.

Evans claimed his side were much the better group of players.

“I thought our performance was absolutely super,” he said.

“If you look at the names on a piece of paper that Stuart (Pearce) can call upon you would be frightened to play them. I think Stuart will drive home tonight and think he’s sat next to Robin Hood because they have stolen a point.

“We have hit the woodwork and made their keeper scramble a few times.”

The absence of a goalscorer is having an impact on Rotherham’s progress this season but Evans remains on the look-out.

“They (goal scorers) come at a real premium. If you want to pay £20,000 or £25,000 a week then you’ll get a goal scorer - we’re not that club, so we’re going to have to go and find one that can do it,” he said.

“We will get goals. I don’t think Nottingham Forest will get out passed or out-moved like that many times this season.

“I think we were far better than them today but as an opposition they had the tenacity and the spirit of Stuart Pearce and you could tell that when they were throwing their bodies on the line in the last 20 minutes.”