Seven times this season we have gone in to the break in front. Six times we have ended up not winning that game. Four have ended in draws and two ended in defeats. Had we gone on to win all those games we would now be on 34 points sat in 17^th place. And that is without taking the additional points off the opposing teams. So the major flaw in our season has been the fact that the games last 90 minutes and not 45!!!

Today was no different. We started very well despite have a weakened team. Minto was out of position at central defence but it meant that we had three ex-Prem defenders in our team. We were up against a team playing very poorly and without the man that was their one man team and we were in no trouble at all at the back. We were getting ourselves in to great positions in and around the box but as has been the case so many times this season, we made the wrong choices and the ball didn’t run for us. Gradually we began to take real control of the game forcing several corners. JCR and Monkhouse were performing well on the wings and we needed to get that goal whilst we were on top. After huffing and puffing for a while it did come. Another new scorer on the sheet this season as John Mullin scored his first of the season after a corner was knocked down to him. It was only what we deserved and in response Crewe could only manage long-range shots. The home fans were getting on the team’s backs and it must have been one of their worst performances of the season. The only thing that went wrong in the first 45 minutes was that it had to end.

The second half began as the previous one had ended with the Millers being bright and getting in some good positions. They went close a couple of times but could not get that vital second goal. Eventually Crewe finally got in to the game and forced Rotherham back. Mike Pollitt was in commanding form and pulled off some superb saves and even commanded his box well. The captain’s armband obviously improved his game!! It looked as if Crewe weren’t going to be able to score as Roth were holding out well. JCR was causing danger on the break so it looked as if it was going to be win number four. Then it all went wrong on 79 minutes. Polly who was under only minor pressure inexplicably dropped a routine cross. The ball fell to the feet of the Crewe striker who had no problems finishing from a yard out. The life and spirit of the team was ripped out and you could see at that point that they were not going to go and get a winner. They were visibly gutted. A bit of an onslaught ensued as Crewe searched for a winner of their own. Polly made some more vital saves and generally we couldn’t keep the ball. It was a major, major disappointment that we did not hold on to what we had and a win should have been recorded.