Match on ... Rotherham United boss Paul Warne says Millers v Wigan Athletic should beat Storm Eunice

Paul WarnePaul Warne
Paul Warne
ROTHERHAM United expect their top-of-the-table clash with Wigan Athletic to go ahead despite the severe weather that is about to hit South Yorkshire.

The League One leaders are due to go head to head with the second-placed Latics at AESSEAL tomorrow night at AESSEAL New York Stadium.

Storm Eunice could bring torrential rain and gale-force winds but manager Paul Warne, having spoken to the club's groundsman and health and safety officer, is confident the sell-out match will kick off as scheduled at 7.45pm.

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"The pitch is absolutely fine and the adverse weather we are told we are about to get should not be enough to see the game called off," he said.

The gales are forecast to abate tomorrow afternoon.

Warne contacted head groundsman Dave Fellowes this morning to check on the New York surface before informing his squad of his  starting 11.

"I was anxious because I didn't want to name my team and then the game be off and I've already upset some lads by leaving them out," he said.

"Sometimes if there is a real doubt over a game I don't tell the players the team. I have named the team today, though. The lads know the script.

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"I have spoken to the health and safety officer. I was worried about the wind and the fans coming, that is where I could forsee a problem.

"The officer said the weather should have dipped by 4pm and that, from their point of view, the game is good to go."

Two-thousand away fans are making the journey across the Pennines.

The Millers are six point clear of Wigan, who have two matches, in hand and Warne describes tomorrow's big-spending opponents as "a team of superstars".

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"Not dissimilar to us, they're well organised, they're very positive," he said. "They want to win every game, as do we, and they have a real attacking threat.

"They've got Will Keane in the middle of the frontline. He picks up the '10' position, he's good on set-pieces, he makes them tick. They'll ask us questions.

"The better teams just have better players, more consistent players. If James McClean is taking on my right wing-back and gets an opportunity to cross the ball, seven times out of ten the delivery is going to be on the money.

"Another team won't get as many dangerous balls in. They're a team of superstars really.

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"They stretch the play, they make the pitch really big and they're very aggressive on set-plays. They have a long throw as well. It's hard to say they have a weakness and they are probably the best team in the league.

"We'll have to be at our best to compete with them."

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THE WIGAN VIEW

Latics manager Leam Richardson on tomorrow's showdown:

"It's three points, that's all it is. It's probably more for the fans and the media to get excited about. For us, it's a big game within a season of big games ... it's just the next one.

"The first thing we'll do is go there and work as hard as we can. From there, it's how good you can be in possession of the ball, We've prepared as best we can.

"Fingers crossed Rotherham can maybe have a stutter between now and the end of the season.

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"Paul Warne is a good guy who I've known for many years, since he was fitness coach at Rotherham.

"I was over that way myself at the time (at Chesterfield), and he was always one of the people you'd pick up the phone to and have a chat with.

"Over the years we've stayed in touch. We pick each other's brains, and I've got a lot of time for him. It's fantastic we're competing at the right end of the division .

"He's always honest, open and transparent. I think as a manager you should always try to be like that. If you try to dress things up in ways that they shouldn't be, sooner or later you'll get found out."

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