RUFC - Evans Delighted And Thanks Fans

Rotherham United Manager Steve Evans has, let's not beat about the bush, had a crap week. But the Scotsman was all smiles again today after he saw his side beat Northampton Town to go above them into sixth place.

Speaking after the game to Radio Sheffield the delighted Millers Boss said, 'I thought that was an excellent performance from start to finish.

'If you don't match the physical battle of the Northampton players you get beaten up by them and bullied but my players stood up to that and the performance today was very industrious. If a kid comes into the playground with a bat then you've got to get a bat yourself. Some of the football we played in the second half was outstanding.

'I think we could have won by more. We should have had another penalty, the goalkeeper has made a couple of good saves, there was a couple off the line, we've hit the woodwork and it was a shame that they got a goal in the last seconds of the game because the back four and Woggy (Andy Warrington) deserved a clean sheet today.

'During the week I'd asked the supporters to stay with us and I think we got it right today and it's a win for our supporters who've suffered over the past couple of weeks. The backing today, especially for the second half, was tremendous. At one-nil we came under a bit of pressure but they were singing and keeping with us. I thought we stood up to it all today and on top of that played some fantastic football but we aren't getting carried away. We are still hurting from the last few weeks and we've still got a lot of points to prove and a lot to get right. And we are all working to get it right and we turned up today a bit nervous wondering what reaction we were going to get from the supporters. I asked them to stick with us and they did and I want to say 'thank you very much'.

There looked to be a few walking wounded as the game drew to a close and Evans said, 'Michael O'Connor was feeling his groin at half-time but we asked him to give us another twenty minutes because he was having a real impact on the game and when David Noble got the goal he got kicked on his ankle

'We've got this game out of the way which we knew would be a big physical encounter and thankfully we've not got a midweek game because we've one or two carrying knocks - and I'm not surprised.'

Neither am I! I have no idea why the referee, Nigel Miller, didn't at least speak to some of their players. Luke Guttridge went into every tackle like the world depended on it, and often the ball was the second thing he took. Akinfenwa's arms were everywhere with Johnny Mullins coming off worse on a couple of occasions. And they weren't the only ones. Nards had to go off with a bloody nose and I'm surprised more of our players didn't suffer. I know it's a physical game but there's physical and down right bullying. And I know what the Cobblers were playing today.



 
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