DERBY DAY: Let battle commence

DERBY day is here and it's fair to say that many of the 2,000 plus Millers making their way to Hillsborough will be travelling more in hope than expectation.

Rotherham have a good record up there and have avoided defeat in their last five visits, their last loss way back in 1981.

Propelled by Dejphon Chansiri's millions, Sheffield Wednesday are a stiffer proposition these days and from Keiren Westwood in goal through to Gary Hooper up front, they're stronger in every department, the league table tells you that.

It still doesn't mean it's a nailed-on home win and with Fernando Forestieri not involved, the task is a little bit less daunting.

If it comes down to football, there will only be one winner given the talent in Wednesday's ranks.

Rotherham will attempt to do what they did against Brentford last week, play the match entirely on their own terms.

That means turning it into a battle, getting in Wednesday's faces and disrupting and frustrating them. In many ways the uglier a South Yorkshire derby it is, the better.

Neil Warnock will want to see Jerome Thomas and Leon Best, if selected, bring their experience to the fore and he'll want the tireless Lee Frecklington, so good last week, to set the standard again.

He'll also need his defenders to be on their toes and put their bodies on the line to protect their goal like they did against Brentford.

Whoever replaces Forestieri, whether it be the gangly, awkward Atdhe Nuhiu or the tricky Lucas Joao, Rotherham are going to come under the cosh at some point.

Their mission is the same in this game as any other, make sure they're still in the game after 70 minutes and take it from there.

The pressure isn't just loaded on the Millers and their need for points at the bottom. Wednesday need them to stay in the play-off frame and have the burden of being favourites.

In many ways it's a match made for Warnock and his motivational powers and whichever 11 he puts out, he'll have them feeling 8ft tall by kick-off time.

"All we can do is ask the lads to give the best they have got, fight for everything and give them the confidence they can get the result," he says.

Let the battle begin.

There's more big match build-up to come, every hour, so keep an eye on www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk