RUFC - Moore bemoans poor defending

Rotherham United Manager, Ronnie Moore said he was 'relieved' when the final whistle went this evening after the three-all draw with Stockport County at Edgeley Park.

Speaking to Radio Sheffield Moore said, 'That wasn't us tonight. We were way off the pace. Though, this time last year, we'd have lost this. You have to give them marks for hanging on there with five minutes to go we were three-one down and in the end we could have won it. But it's two points dropped for me.

'We never defended anything like we've defended in the last few games. The lads got a great goal for the second it was one hell of a strike but you can't get caught like we did for the third one. And the first goal was one ball straight through that caught the 'keeper and caught the left back and you can't get caught by a ball like that. To get promotion you need consistency and if that back four can keep the consistency then we've got a chance but playing as deep as that then it sets you thinking do you need a centre half, do you need a right back, do you need a left winger, do you need a right winger. With a bit of luck Ryan Cresswell is only going to be three weeks away because those two have had an indifferent game today but they know they are better players than that. What was disappointing was that they were only playing against one lad up front today and we didn't deal with him how we should have done.

'In the first twenty minutes I thought we'd had opportunities but didn't take the chances and, I think if we'd scored first, we could probably have won by four or five. In the second half the five in midfield caused us a problem, though I didn't think it hurt us at all in the first half.

'There's a lot of players who've got skill but didn't use it today. Marshall has been fantastic all season but he can't be fantastic every game. I mean, at three-one with five minutes to go it's game over but not for our lads. We just kept on pushing and pushing and thankfully we got the goal and it was a great header for the equaliser and a fantastic ball in as well.'

Asked about the penalty that was given against Adam Le Fondre for handball, Moore said, 'I thought it was harsh and Alfie swore blind that it wasn't.

'At the end of the day we are just thankful that we've scrambled a point out of it because it wasn't a good team performance today.'

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