Rotherham boss Matt Hamshaw admitted his side got some good fortune in their 1-0 win at play-off chasing Bolton.
Sam Nombe’s early strike proved to be the winner but only because the home side missed a raft of chances, peppering the Millers’ goal with 36 shots.
Hamshaw could only name six substitutes with a squad missing seven first-teamers but praised the players who dug in for a result, his third successive win since taking over from Steve Evans.
“If I’m going to be brutally honest, we were second best probably,” he said. “I’m being defeatist.
“The character and defensive stuff – there were a hell of a lot of positives, don’t get me wrong. I openly said in the press I worried about tonight, physically, and I wanted a performance for 45 minutes.
“First half, we did that and created them problems. Everyone is well aware of the situation we’re in at the minute with injuries and Kels (Liam Kelly) and Jono (Jonson Clarke-Harris) were ill. It is what it is but we don’t make excuses.
“Fair play to the kids. I thought Hamish Douglas came in and did really well and Holmesy (Jack Holmes).
“I don’t want to be too negative because it’s an unbelievable three points against what is, in my opinion, a top, top team.
“I’ve just said to their players and Schuey (Steven Schumacher), they probably don’t want to hear it but I think they’ll go up if they keep playing like that.”
He added: “Wherever Bolton got the ball, there were always bodies.
“Whether it was the first man or the second man, somebody always got something on the end of it and then the keeper was outstanding. Daws (Cameron Dawson) pulled off save after save after save, fair play to him.”
Bolton boss Steven Schumacher described his team’s wastefulness as “criminal” but felt that goals were the only thing missing from the performance.
John McAtee hit a post and Rotherham keeper Cameron Dawson made a string of top saves from Josh Dacres-Cogley, McAtee, Aaron Collins and George Johnston.
“I’m running the risk of sounding like a broken record because I’ve said this now five times in the five games we have lost in the league since I’ve been the manager,” he said. “But we have been the better team.
“I’m really disappointed, obviously, to lose the game. But we have played so well and you can’t play that well and create that many chances and not take anything from it. It’s criminal.”
Bolton dropped out of the play-off places and surrendered the advantage to Reading but Schumacher insists his side can still get themselves back into the top six.
He added: “There are five games to go and even if we’d have won tonight, Reading won as well so we’d still be saying on Saturday against Barnsley we would have to win that game too.
“It is in Reading’s hands now, they have that advantage. We have missed our chance so we have to respond again now.
“With this group I’ve got no doubt they will respond. They are a great group of lads who try – and they are trying their hardest – I just feel as though we lack a little bit of quality when it really matters.”
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