'I alway believed,' says Paul Warne after Rotherham United's amazing comeback

DEFIANT boss Paul Warne never gave up hope of Rotherham United's great escape even when his side were two goals down and in danger of crumbling against MK Dons.
Paul Warne after the final whistle against MK DonsPaul Warne after the final whistle against MK Dons
Paul Warne after the final whistle against MK Dons

The Millers fought back magnificently at Stadium MK, overturning a 2-0 half-time deficit to win the League One encounter 3-2 and move up to fourth place in the table.

Warne always believed his team could triumph in adversity after conceding two early goals last Saturday as long as they didn't fall further adrift.

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"I thought if we got the next goal we could get back into it," said the manager whose men have now won eight of their last 11 matches.

"Hand on heart, after 20 minutes I was thinking if we could get to half-time at 2-0 down I'd take it," he said. "I nearly made a change after 25 minutes, then we rode the storm a bit.

"We couldn't throw two up front because we were getting outplayed in midfield. We needed to get the lads in at half-time no more than two goals behind.

"We gave them a few polite pointers, got our first goal and I thought: 'Wow, we've got half an hour left here. We're going to create something else.' Fortunately we did."

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In a stirring second period, the Millers reduced the arrears through Dan Barlaser before two goals from substitute Freddie Ladapo swung the clash in their favour.

Ladapo could have had a hat-trick but missed a penalty when the score was 2-2.

Warne was thrilled by the response of his team as they racked up their fourth successive league victory on the road.

He said: "They played how I wanted them to play. I said to Richie (assistant boss Barker), and I know it sounds like horrendous management, that I was so pleased with our players after the break that I wouldn't have criticised their second-half performance even if MK had nicked a winner in the last minute."

Rotherham are in League One action again tomorrow at Portsmouth who are managed by former Millers boss Kenny Jackett.