Friends, rivals, golf buddies ... Rotherham United goalkeepers Cameron Dawson and Dillon Phillips

Home advantage is helping his golf, too, as he does battle with friend and rival Dillon Phillips.

The pair are vying for the Rotherham United goalkeeper jersey but that doesn't stop them being close pals who regularly walk the the fairways together.

“It's a good game between us,” Dawson smiled. “I've got his number at the minute. He keeps saying it's because of my home course. I'm a member at Hallamshire and that's where we play.”

The Millers' League One campaign began with Phillips between the sticks but it's summer signing Dawson who now tops manager Steve Evans' leaderboard and is set for his fourth straight third-tier start, at Peterborough United this Saturday.

The 29-year-old turned down a new contract at Sheffield Wednesday because he wanted more game-time and it came as a major blow to him when he found himself on the bench for his new club.

“It's been really frustrating, I'll not hide that,” he said. “I'm desperate to play football. That was part of my decision to come here – to play week in, week out.

“If I'm completely honest with myself, it maybe took me a couple of weeks early on in pre-season just to settle into a new environment. That maybe went against me.

“I don't feel I did a lot wrong in pre-season. I just fell on the wrong side of a decision, and that happens.

“From my side, it was important to not look too much into that and be ready for an opportunity when it came.”

That chance came against Shrewsbury Town just under a fortnight ago and Rotherham have won twice and drawn once in the three games since he received Evans' call.

The duel between him and Phillips is having no effect on the bond that the duo share.

“I knew Dillon before I came here,” Dawson said. “We're similar ages and have grown up playing against each other. We've always had a great relationship.

“That's the same now. We get on great and have a good laugh together. That relationship will remain positive. We'll just get on with things and work hard.

“Competition is huge in football. You have to be comfortable with it. If we can push each other and it gets an extra few per cent out of us, then brilliant.”

Victory over Reading last Saturday saw the Millers move to within three points of the play-off places.

However, despite boasting some excellent attacking statistics, they are in only 17th spot in an extremely tight division after the opening ten matches.

“It's not a false position because it's where we are,” Dawson said. “The long and short of it is that we haven't won enough games.

“It's not been an ideal start. We would have wanted to have picked up a few more points.

"It's early in the season and we still have time to make up those points. We're putting in the hard work every day to make that happen.

“It's important that the stats are in the right place. They're backing us to score more goals and keep more out. Hopefully that will happen and we'll climb the table.”

As for the golf ... “We'll have to get on a neutral course soon,” he grinned.

Dawson plays off two and Phillips six.

But it's the number-one spot with the Millers that concerns them most.