Rotherham United welcome Lincoln City to the New York Stadium on Tuesday night for their first game of December.
The Millers didn’t manage a point in their three league games last month, the only win coming in the Vertu Trophy game away at Bradford. Meanwhile the Imps had a busy November playing seven games which saw them win two FA Cup ties and a Trophy game against a Manchester City U21 side. Like the Millers they didn’t win any League One games drawing two of the four.
Lincoln are sitting nicely in ninth place in the table with twenty-six points, the Millers ten places and nine points worse off. City’s last away game was their four-three win in the FA Cup at Crawley while they lost one-nil at Wrexham in their last away League game. Rotherham’s last home game was the beginning of last month which saw them lose in the FA Cup to Cheltenham their last home game being at the end of October when Stevenage were the visitors at the New York Stadium.
Speaking to the Official Site Millers Boss Steve Evans said that his team are getting ready to face one of the best teams in the league saying, ‘they are outstanding in a lot of their performances. Mike (Skubala) has had four or five transfer windows to affect what he wants to do and they are a really good side.
‘No one can dispute that the fire and passion has been missing from some of our performances – not all – but when you’re missing big players, similar to what Manchester City are going through, then it can have an impact. Of course, that can only go on for so long before it becomes an excuse but it is a fact. We’ve discussed with the group about getting the performances right and, if you do that, then I’m a big believer that results will follow. We all owe the fans a performance.’
Mallik Wilks and Jamie McCart are back in training and long-term injured Andre Green, who played twenty-five minutes in a behind closed doors last week, has trained too but, after over a year since playing in a match, he will be monitored very carefully. Liam Kelly is a doubt still recovering from illness.
City Manager Mike Skubala spoke to their Official Site ahead of the game saying, ‘We are going against a tough Rotherham team who are really good at set-pieces and crosses. We’ve watched them live a few times this season and think we know what’s coming and I don’t think their league position represents what they are creating.. They are a very aggressive team who like to get the ball forward quickly and we are going to have to be physically on it.’
After being away with the St Lucia squad Reeco Hackett got twenty minutes or so at the weekend and will probably travel while Ben House didn’t make it due to illness but is looking to make the squad tomorrow. Striker Tyler Walker hasn’t played yet this season with ‘an injury that can be intermittent’ although he was on the bench on Saturday but probably won’t be risked.
The referee for this game is Martin Woods.