Wolverhampton 0 Rotherham 0: I will be in Championship next season, admits Warnock

Rotherham secured their Sky Bet Championship status after a 0-0 draw at Wolves, whose dismal run at Molineux continued.
Rotherham United.Rotherham United.
Rotherham United.

An unbeaten run of 11 games - their best in the second tier since 1966 - ensured that Neil Warnock steered the South Yorkshire side to safety, after being appointed in February.

Rotherham, who have never won at Wolves, were under pressure for most of the game but some resolute defending and poor finishing ensured they picked up the point they needed.

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While Rotherham had survival to celebrate, Wolves fans were forced to endure a fourth successive goalless draw at home - and made their feelings known by chanting that they were bored.

Kenny Jackett’s side had enough chances to win, but the lack of an end product ensured that they have now gone 360 minutes without a goal in front of their own frustrated supporters.

Dave Edwards squandered a golden chance to give Wolves the lead after just eight minutes - and that set the tone for the match.

James Henry did well to win the ball in midfield and his pass released Joe Mason. Mason’s left wing cross fell invitingly into the path of Edwards - but the Welsh international could not find the target from 10 yards as he dragged his shot wide of Lee Camp’s near post.

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Rotherham had an even bigger let-off in the 23rd minute when the crossbar came to their rescue. Wolves’ skipper Danny Batth met Henry’s right-wing corner and his header was deflected goalwards by Mason only, for Camp to tip the ball on to the bar.

Rotherham then needed central defender Richard Wood to come to their rescue after 28 minutes when he bravely blocked a low drive from Mason, following more good build-up play from the lively Henry.

Henry was at the heart of all of Wolves’ best moves and, after Mason and Edwards combined to set him up, he saw his curling shot from the edge of the area saved by Camp in the 35th minute.

Henry then whipped in a 40th minute free-kick that Matt Doherty headed back across the face of goal, only for Edwards to then lift his shot over the bar.

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Mason proved to be just as wasteful at the start of the second half when he shot weakly at Camp from 10 yards.

Full-back Sylvain Deslandes was then inches away from finally making Wolves pressure pay when he stabbed a 54th minutes cross from Bright Enobakhare narrowly wide.

Wasting so many chances almost came back to haunt Wolves four minutes later when Rotherham mounted their first attack of the game - only to be denied by goalkeeper Carl Ikeme.

Former Wolves defender Greg Halford picked out Matt Derbyshire in the penalty area and his fierce volley looked goalbound, only for Ikeme to palm the ball clear.

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The home side still carried the greater threat and within 60 seconds, they should really have taken charge - but Mason was again denied by Camp, before Rotherham right-back Stephen Kelly cleared Jed Wallace’s low 72nd minute drive off the line.

Having survived so much pressure, Rotherham then enjoyed a little flurry themselves with Derbyshire again being denied by Ikeme, before Mason was once again frustrated by Camp - who tipped his header over the bar.

Rotherham boss Neil Warnock Warnock, who is yet to decide whether he will remain in the job next season, described the feat of keeping the Millers up as his best as a manager before teasing that he will talk with chairman Tony Stewart about staying in the role.

“It will take a while to realise what an achievement that is,” he said.

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“The players have been fantastic and the chairman has been unbelievable and it’s wonderful for me to give them something to smile about because they have worked ever so hard to get Rotherham in the Championship.

“I am speaking to the chairman in the next couple of weeks. I said once we’re safe we’ll have a chat, I will be in the Championship next year, I am speaking to him so we will just have to see how it develops.

“It’s a remarkable achievement. We were six points away after a week, no one gave us a sniff.

“It’s great to come here and get it put to bed. If you’d have told me that at the start I’d have snapped your hands off. Now I want to finish as high as I can.”

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