Alex Bruce on a Rotherham United victory mission as an old boy comes to town
It’s 23rd v 11th at New York Stadium tomorrow
Boss Alex Bruce is targeting a six-point haul this week as he bids to lead struggling Rotherham United out of the League Two drop zone.
The Millers slipped to next-to-bottom spot in League Two after being beaten 2-0 at Fleetwood Town at the weekend.
But they now have back-to-back matches at AESSEAL New York Stadium, and Bruce has his fingers crossed that his squad will hit back and end their four-match losing streak.
"We've got two home games coming up that are very winnable," the head coach said. "I've said to the players: 'We need a response.' We need a win to lift the confidence and the morale."
First up are 11th-placed Newport County tomorrow night, followed by Shrewsbury Town, who are in 14th spot, on Saturday.
The Welsh outfit are going well under former Crystal Palace and West Ham United defender Hayden Mullins and haven't tasted defeat since September 5, with their last eight fixtures producing three wins and five draws.
They have in their ranks a familiar face in former Rotherham loanee Kion Etete.
The Cardiff City striker failed to score in 14 outings last term for the Millers, who released him early, but he wasted no time in opening his account for his new temporary employers last Saturday.
He bagged a debut equaliser as a substitute in a 1-1 draw against York City on Saturday - his first goal in more than two and a half years - and heads to South Yorkshire seeking to add to his tally.
Bruce is confident his newly-built team are capable of climbing the table.
"I believe we have enough quality," he said. "We might need a scruffy win to get it going."
The reverse at Fleetwood came a week after a 4-1 home loss to Gillingham, leading to questions about Rotherham's character.
When asked if he has enough men willing to roll up their sleeves and battle, the boss replied: "Well, on the evidence of the last two showings, no. That has been the message to the players.
"Effort and spirit should be a minimum at any club, not just Rotherham. They're the basics that have to be in place. The players can only do that themselves."