Sheffield Wednesday 0 Rotherham United 1: Neil Warnock able to have a laugh at expense of Owls

Matt Derbyshire believes Neil Warnock has instilled the confidence into Rotherham United that can see them escape relegation from the Championship.
Manager Neil Warnock and captain Kirk Broadfoot celebrate at the final whistle after Rotherham United beat Sheffield Wednesday (Picture: Keith Ellis).Manager Neil Warnock and captain Kirk Broadfoot celebrate at the final whistle after Rotherham United beat Sheffield Wednesday (Picture: Keith Ellis).
Manager Neil Warnock and captain Kirk Broadfoot celebrate at the final whistle after Rotherham United beat Sheffield Wednesday (Picture: Keith Ellis).

If their display at Hillsborough was anything to go by, this certainly looks the case.

For the opening 45 minutes, the Millers made a mockery of the respective league positions of these South Yorkshire rivals.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Play-off hopefuls Wednesday had not been beaten at Hillsborough since last August, but third-from-bottom Rotherham could have been 3-1 up at the break.

Neil Warnock has come in and put a big belief in his players, and you can see that in our performance,” said Derbyshire, who netted what proved the winner after 20 minutes. “The lads are relishing playing for him.

“He has us believing; he is a big character and is enjoying the training and games. His organisation has been great.

“It was fantastic, great to win back-to-back games. In a massive derby game, to come away from home and get all three points is amazing.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rotherham should have taken the lead when Derbyshire headed the ball into Grant Ward’s path, but he blazed wide with the goal at his mercy.

Lethargic Owls – missing the suspended Fernando Forestieri and injured Sam Hutchinson – failed to heed the warning, though, as Lee Frecklington’s low cross evaded Wednesday’s defensive line and Derbyshire nipped in at the back post to stun the majority of the 28,912 crowd.

Rotherham were relievedwhen Michael Turner’s ‘goal’ was chalked off for offside, after he flicked in Aiden McGeady’s shot.

The Millers should have rubbed salt in Wednesday’s wounds, but from Grant Ward’s cross, Danny Ward somehow blasted wide.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Wednesday needed to improve after half-time, and they did as substitute Lucas Joao helped form a three-man front line.

Ross Wallace smashed his 20-yard effort against the crossbar, then Gary Hooper had the ball in the net again – after Camp failed to hold Joao’s long-range shot –but the striker had crept into an offside position.

Jack Hunt was brought down by former Owls left-back Joe Mattock on the edge of the area, but Camp denied Wallace from the resulting free-kick and the Rotherham goalkeeper also thwarted Hooper late on.

Richie Smallwood should have wrapped up the points, after substitute Leon Best’s breakaway, but the Millers midfielder chipped wide with only Owls goalkeeper Keiren Westwood to beat.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We were always going to come under pressure in the second half, they were getting a telling off at half-time,” said Derbyshire. “But we were ready for that.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the team, this club staying in the Championship. This is another step forward to doing that.

“It’s a massive confidence-booster for everyone. Hopefully, we can take it into the next game as well.

“It’s nice to get that winning feeling back. Danny Ward worked his socks off, he’s a very unselfish forward.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Every single game will be tough now, Middlesbrough, or anyone. We are going to relish it.

“We haven’t set a points target. We just take each game as it comes and, hopefully, it will be good enough to stay in this league, which we believe.”

Warnock’s tactics in smothering Wednesday’s midfield playmakers worked well, with Greg Halford deployed just in front of his defence and Frecklington a willing runner.

“Barry Bannan and Kieren Lee in midfield, I think, are as good as anything (in the Championship) if you let them,” said Warnock.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“They slide balls in, but we were so effective, it ended up with (Gary) Hooper coming short into the midfield, rather than the shoulder of the centre-halves. It was good tactics.”

For former Sheffield United manager Warnock – a self-confessed Blades fan – victory over the ‘old enemy’ was particularly sweet.

He revealed he even managed to share a few laughs with Owls supporters outside the stadium before kick-off.

“It’s not just Rotherham, all the Blades fans will be chuffed with me,” he joked.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I have had that many texts from Blades fans (after the final whistle), never mind Rotherham fans.

“I think there are too many bland managers. They don’t want to talk to fans, journalists, they have got notepads everywhere, it’s all tactics.

“What’s wrong with having a laugh. I had a laugh with some kids outside before the game. I said how sorry I was that they had ended up being born Wednesdayites, and they had to get over it and move forward.

“The dads were laughing at me and you don’t see things like that these days. It’s too serious.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As for Wednesday, they are having a wobble at just the wrong time. They have not won in four games – scoring just once – and face tough trips to Brighton tomorrow night and then Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Owls’ head coach Carlos Carvalhal said: “It was frustrating we didn’t score, of course. We expected to win the game, we prepared for the game to win and it’s a game that was a little strange for us. I’m disappointed in the result, but not my players.

“From the first to last second, my players fought to try and win the game and 85 per cent of the time we played in the opposition half.

“It’s a day where we must put the ball inside the back of the net and we could not do that.”