Rotherham vs Scunthorpe - Paul Warne tells Rotherham to grasp play-off opportunity
Posted Tuesday, May 15, 2018 by PA
Rotherham manager Paul Warne has urged his team to seize the moment ahead of their Sky Bet League One play-off semi-final second leg with Scunthorpe.
The Millers were minutes away from winning Saturday’s first leg before being pegged back to a 2-2 draw, but they know a victory over the Iron at their New York Stadium will put them one game away from a quickfire return to the Championship.
Winning a one-off game at home to get to Wembley is a prospect most sides would have taken before the start of the season and Warne is not afraid to big it up.
He said: “My message to the lads before they go out will be, ‘Look, there is an immense amount of pressure on this game. There’s no point wrapping it up any other way.
“But if you are a true competitor, a true footballer, a true great, you’ll be able to play with this pressure. If you can’t, you’’ll be taken off after 15 minutes. Simple as that’.
“There’s no point lying to them. They need to know the importance of it. As a player, you can be in the play-offs one year and think, ‘Oh, I’ll be in them again next year’. Then it can be 10 years before it comes round again, if it ever does.
“The lads need to know they have already achieved a lot this season, and I couldn’t be prouder of them. But if we’re going to be beaten, then be beaten by the better team. Do not get beaten because we under-perform.”
Warne will check on several of his squad who picked knocks at Glanford Park, where Jon Taylor came off with a dead leg.
Scunthorpe caretaker boss Nick Daws, who has still not lost a game in charge, has a worry over goalkeeper Matt Gilks.
Gilks limped out of Saturday’s first leg with a knee injury and is a serious doubt, with rookie deputy Rory Watson on standby.
“We are not sure about Matt at this stage, but am not going to hide the fact he is a doubt,” Daws told BBC Radio Humberside.
“Matt came off with a knee injury, has been having treatment of the last 48 hours and we will be keeping our fingers crossed.
“If he is not fit then Rory Watson is a more than able deputy and I have got every confidence in him. Either way we will go and try and win the game.
“We have got the team imprinted in how we’re probably going to go.
“We will take a really considered approach in what we do in the 90 minutes plus.”
Photos
More»
Ex-Barcelona WAG strips completely naked
Thursday April 18 2024
[PICTURE SPECIAL] Real Madrid end City's UCL dream
Thursday April 18 2024
Glam British athlete Lauryn Davey shows off bum
Wednesday April 17 2024
Your Say