Paul Warne confident ahead of League One play-offs following Blackpool victory - 7M sport

Paul Warne confident ahead of League One play-offs following Blackpool victory



Posted Sunday, May 06, 2018 by PA

Paul Warne confident ahead of League One play-offs following Blackpool victory

Paul Warne admitted his Rotherham team are aiming to go all the way in the League One play-offs.

Rotherham sealed a 1-0 win over Blackpool thanks to Will Vaulks’ second-half strike.

The result ensured the Millers finish in fourth place in the table and will face Scunthorpe over two legs in their search for Championship football next season.

“If we play to our best, we should be able to compete with them (Scunthorpe),” Warne said.

“Today was a nice way to finish the season for us. I said to the players this wasn’t a celebratory event.

“It wasn’t a testimonial-style game which I wanted to stress. We looked at it as though this was the first of four big games.

“We weren’t moving the ball quick enough in the first half, but I thought in the second half we played much more like a team.

“I made some subs early to save certain players and keep us fresh. If we’d have got a second goal it might have been a bit calmer.”

Michael Smith fashioned the first chance of match, with the Rotherham man firing wide of goal on 10 minutes.

In response, Sean Longstaff’s free-kick tested the reflexes of home goalkeeper Marek Rodak before Ryan Williams blazed over the crossbar when well-placed for the hosts.

Rotherham continued to create chances but struggled to convert them as defender Richard Wood prodded wide of goal from a few yards out and then Smith smashed over from an acute angle.

The pressure eventually told when Vaulks fired home the opener from the edge of the area on 58 minutes to put Rotherham in front.

Blackpool hit back through Callum Cooke’s powerful effort, but his strike was tipped over by Millers goalkeeper Rodak.

Kelvin Mellor’s header brought an even better save from Rodak before another golden chance fell to Oliver Turton but the defender spurned his shot wide.

As a result, Blackpool ensured they finished in the top half in their first season back in the third tier.

Blackpool boss Gary Bowyer said: “Rotherham are in the play-offs for a reason.

“We should have taken something away, especially with the chances we had in the second half.

“I’ve said to the players, I now have to take that away with me all summer and it doesn’t sit with me well.

“We had lots of chances today, to even win it.”

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