Stubbs delighted as Taylor starts to make impact

AMID several good news stories in Rotherham United's home draw with Nottingham Forest, the predatory exploits of Jon Taylor ranked high up for manager Alan Stubbs.

Finally, belatedly, the Millers produced their best performance of the season against Forest, according to Stubbs, with the only disappointment being that it did not earn three points.

The outstanding Izzy Brown may have deservedly taken the man-of-the-match honours, but record buy Taylor’s first two goals for the club also carried significant weight in the 2-2 draw.

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The hosts went into the game with the second lowest goals-for tally in the Championship, behind Derby County, but Taylor’s brace proved a real and overdue tick in the attacking department.

On £500,000 man Taylor, whose second strike three minutes from time earned 10-man Millers a point, Stubbs said: “He is starting to listen and we have shown him a lot of footage since he first came.

“At first, he played like he did at Peterborough and we are trying to get him to work on different things.

“When the ball is on the opposite side, we do not want him on the opposite touchline not affecting things. We want him to come inside and take cleverer positions. He has started to do that and will grow as a player if he keeps learning.”

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Stubbs also reserved bouquets for the exhilarating showing of Brown and feels that the Millers faithful should enjoy the Chelsea loan prospect while they can.

He added: “He came and he was not fit in terms of match sharpness. That was always going to take a bit of time, but his ability has never been in question.

“Up to now, my record of bringing in young players and developing them has not been bad and that is why I tried to do my utmost to go and have personal meetings with all the right people at Chelsea because he has an unbelievable amount of ability.

“We must enjoy him as much as we can while we have him.”

Stubbs is now challenging the Millers to address their fitful away form, starting at Blackburn Rovers in a crunch weekend game.

He said: “We are unbeaten at home against some good teams and now need to do better away.

“If we play as we did against Forest, we will take points.”