Cameron Dawson: Five months on the Rotherham United sidelines, then a 10/10 performance

After spending five months in the Rotherham United wilderness, Cameron Dawson had just delivered his best display since his summer move to the Millers.

The goalkeeper was already on the coach and preparing for the journey home from Bolton Wanderers when word came through that the media were clamouring for his presence.

He put down his grub and headed back inside the Toughsheet Community Stadium to reflect on his epic defiance in the 1-0 Tuesday-night victory last week.

“I'm giving you 10 out of 10 in the ratings,” I told him.

“Good job,” he flashed back with a big smile. “I was going to give you one-word answers if it was anything less than a 9!”

Bolton had tried, tried and tried again to beat him, but the former Sheffield Wednesday shot-stopper had made save after save as the last man in a Rotherham rearguard whose resistance had stretched beyond beyond the bounds of heroic.

“I was watching the clock tick down and praying for the final whistle while loving every minute of it out there with my teammates," he said.

“We wanted the end of the game but we loved defending out there. You're in it together, you have to be. It's backs to the wall.

“As far as away performances go, it's a pretty special night - not in terms of quality on the ball and a perfect performance but in terms of desire from the boys.

“They have gone, gone and gone again. Massive credit to them, they've worked their socks off.”

The triumph had brought a third straight win for the club's new boss. Where once there had been Steve Evans for nearly a year, now there is Matt Hamshaw.

“In football, things don't always work out," Dawson said. “The previous manager has had a really successful career, but it never felt like it was particularly right here.

“That's no slight on him or his work. I just think, a fresh approach ... the lads have bought into it straight away and it's got us going.

“I'm absolutely not here to talk badly about the previous regime. It happens in football. I've had a tough time myself and probably not put in the performances I know I can do this season.

The 29-year-old had rejected a new deal with Championship Wednesday to come to the League One Millers in the expectation of being a regular starter.

However, he fell out of favour under Evans and had gone from early November to late March without seeing any third-tier action.

He'd just returned to the side when Hamshaw was appointed and he's played in all four matches since.

“The boys have loved coming into work,” Dawson said. “We've had to do quite a bit in the classroom and on the screen. We haven't been able to get on the training pitch as much as he'd like because of all the games but he's still been brilliant in getting his ideas across.

“He's been getting us refreshed and prepped and ready to go, stripping it down to basics and giving us a real structure. I've really enjoyed it. I think that he's got a lot more to give.

“He's got everyone pulling in the direction, which has been massive. We're down to the bare bones through injuries but if players are 70 per cent fit, they're not looking for exits, they're out there throwing their bodies on the line.

“We've been winning games and that breeds happiness, it breeds confidence. The training ground has been a really good place to be.

“It's more than just smiles on faces, it's structure, it's identity. Everything I've always known Rotherham United to be is coming back.”

In his first year as a Miller, he has made only 20 appearances – 13 in the league – so far and is hoping to add four more to that tally in the final quartet of fixtures.

Then, the mission is to build towards a more successful campaign next term as he enters the last 12 months of his contract.

“It's been a tough season for me,” he said. “I'm not here to shy away from that or make excuses. You can't always have it your own way.

“I want to make up for lost time in a Rotherham shirt. I still believe that I've got a lot to give.

“I'm really happy, personally, at the minute and determined to keep that going. “I'm really looking forward to the future.”

Interview over, he was able to return to the bus and his pasta, a hungry player in more ways than one.