RUFC - 'Pitch will improve'

Rotherham United fans will be pleased to hear that officials from Don Valley say the pitch will be in a much improved condition for the start of the season.

On Saturday, from where I sat, the pitch looked OK but when play began the ball bounced at odd angles and sand flew up when players went in for a tackle. Derby boss, Paul Jewell was also very critical saying it was the worst pre-season game he'd ever been involved in. The wind played a big factor in the game too and us fans were huddling together like it was mid-winter to try and keep warm.

On Tuesday it was a lot different. After being frozen on Saturday we all went in winter clothes only for the sun to beat down on us for most of the game! The pitch had been watered before the game and it played so much better.

Stadium General Manager, Pat Smith, told The Advertiser, 'The pitch not being watered before the Derby game didn't help and the wind affected it too. We've planted young grass in the pitch and it needs time to develop a root base but it's getting stronger and denser every day. After the pitch was watered on Tuesday the bounce was much truer.'

Our own roving reporter, rybel_b, was told by Mark Burchill on Monday night that he expected the pitch to get better the more it was played on.

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