Sheffield Wednesday 0 Rotherham United 0: Broadfoot centre of attention as he gets to grips with feisty derby

The summer signing from Blackpool had plied most of his trade north of the border before signing for Steve Evans’s promoted side after two years on the coast.

But after being involved in most of the main talking points in a feisty Hillsborough clash, the 30-year-old certainly has a derby baptism to remember.

On another day Broadfoot could have been red-carded for a crunching tackle on Gary Taylor-Fletcher – his Owls starting debut did not even last until half-time before he departed to hospital with an eye injury.

Former Rangers defender Broadfoot also came close to scoring an own goal, when pressure from striker Atdhe Nuhiu saw his rushed back-pass catch out Adam Collin, the Millers goalkeeper managing to get a connection to deflect the ball wide.

In a game of few chances, Wednesday thought they had earned an 81st-minute penalty when substitute Kieran Lee produced a delightful turn to wrong-foot Broadfoot.

But with a clear sight of Collin’s goal, Lee tumbled to the ground. Television replays were inconclusive as to whether Broadfoot’s interference warranted a penalty for which the majority of the 26,986 crowd had bayed.

Unsurprisingly, the managers, Stuart Gray and Evans, had differing views of Nigel Miller’s decision not to award the spot-kick.

But Broadfoot insisted Lee slipped on the rain-drenched pitch, rather than seeing him as the victim of a foul.

“I asked the boy after why did he not just shoot, because he’s done me on the turn and I didn’t touch him,” said Broadfoot.

“He must have slipped because the pitch was pretty poor, to be fair.

“I’ve not seen it again but I don’t recall hitting him.

“With the pitch it was going to be a mistake that could have cost the game, it was so slippy and mucky.”

Lee added: “I think it was a penalty but I will have to watch the footage back.

“From my point of view, their man has taken me down but the referee hasn’t given it.”

It was a derby where chances were at a premium. May produced one superb break down the right, which deserved a goal for his trickery and tenacious attitude, Taylor-Fletched flicked an effort wide, and Jeremy Helan twice went close from the left flank.

The visitors should have taken a first-half lead but Paul Green twice headed wide, and Frazer Richardson fired just over.

After successive 3-0 defeats, though, Broadfoot was just relieved to have kept a clean sheet.

“It was pretty scrappy, to be honest. I don’t think conditions helped,” he said. “But from our point of view, it’s good to get a clean sheet after conceding six goals in the last two games.

“To come to a place like this and get a point, most teams would take that, especially in a derby. We’ll build from that and look forward. We did have a couple of chances and we could maybe have nicked a goal.

“Paul Green’s first one was really clear cut, I thought he should have scored. It’s a point gained, especially the run we’ve been on.”

Despite Rotherham and Sheffield only being divided by the width of the M1 motorway, the defender had not associated the game as a derby.

“It’s strange, you think of Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United as the derby but everyone’s telling me this is a big derby as well,” he said.

“Everyone was building it up, so it was good to get a point.”

The pre-match focus was on Wednesday striker May, who could have been a team-mate of Broadfoot’s but snubbed a move to Rotherham to join the Owls for £800,000.

He twice went close to increasing his return of three goals in 17 games, and Broadfoot expects his fellow Scot to be a hit at Hillsborough.

“That’s the first I’ve played against him since he’s moved down. I thought he was a good player, very sharp,” said Broadfoot. “It’s going to take him time to settle, probably moving his family down as well, but I think he’ll be a good signing for Sheffield Wednesday.”

What about that fierce tackle on Taylor-Fletcher in just the fifth minute of the contest, which had Broadfoot walking a disciplinary tightrope for the rest of the game?

“Usually they let you get away that early,” he smiled. “I know Fletch from my old club (Blackpool). I said to him ‘I’m going to give you a wee kick to let you know I’m here’ before the game, and we were laughing. And I did.

“It was one of those; I had to watch what I was doing for the rest of the game.”

Sheffield Wednesday: Westwood, Palmer, Lees, Loovens, Helan, Maguire (Lee 66), Semedo, Coke, Maghoma, May, Taylor-Fletcher (Nuhiu 39). Unused substitutes: McCabe, Kirkland, Corry, Young, Dielna.

Rotherham United: Collin, Skarz, Broadfoot, Morgan, Richardson, Frecklington, Pringle, Taylor, Smallwood, Revell, Green. Unused substitutes: Loach, Wood, Bowery, Milsom, Derbyshire, Wordsworth, Clarke-Harris.

Referee: N Miller (Co Durham).