Harry Gray goes through pain barrier as Rotherham United suffer defeat
YOUNG striker Harry Gray played through an injury to help Rotherham United's cause in today's Yorkshire derby with Huddersfield Town, manager Matt Hamshaw has revealed.
The 17-year-old loanee had suffered a dead leg during the week but took his place in the starting line-up as the Millers' sought to make it three games unbeaten in their fight to escape League One's drop zone.
The visitors deserved a draw for a battling display in the lunch-time kick-off but returned home empty-handed after a 76th-minute Lenny Agbaire own goal handed a 1-0 victory to the play-off-chasing home team.
Rotherham, in 22nd spot and two points from safety before the later round of fixtures this afternoon, have now scored only twice in their last seven outings.
Speaking about his forwards, Hamshaw said: “Harry had a knock before the game. I was running a bit of a gauntlet, leaving him on for as long as I did. I thought that he looked a big threat.
“Sam (Nombe) is obviously working really hard for the team. I think he was almost trying too hard at times, if that makes sense.”
Gray lasted until the 70th minute until he was replaced by Duncan Watmore.
Rotherham had chances to go in front against the Terriers and had a last-gasp spot-kick appeal turned down when they claimed a Huddersfield player had handled a Liam Kelly shot.
“I just feel a little bit like a broken record,” Hamshaw said. “I feel like some of the performance levels were okay, but we're just at times a bit young and a bit naive and we've got to do more to score a goal.
“I felt, first half, we played well, without really troubling their keeper, which annoyed me.”
Town were booed by their supporters as they struggled to make any headway against the Millers at the Accu Stadium.
Reece James spurned a golden second-half chance to put Rotherham in front when he sent a tame shot straight at goalkeeper Lee Nicholls after being set up by Nombe's cross.
“The fans here turned on them,” Hamshaw said. “They were cheering about having a shot on target after 60-odd minutes.
“There were bits of pleasing stuff and bits where we haven't done enough. I felt we could have had a penalty at the end there. I thought the defender's arm was in an unnatural position
“It's frustrating because that should have been a minimum of a point, if not three.”