Matt Hamshaw finds reasons to be content and concerned after Rotherham United derby draw
MATT Hamshaw had mixed emotions after watching his Rotherham United side fail to hang on to a two-goal lead against League One's table-topping side this evening.
The manager felt pride and frustration in equal measure as he acknowledged his side had passed up on a golden opportunity to climb out of the drop zone in the AESSEAL New York Stadium Yorkshire derby with in-form Bradford City.
The Millers were 2-0 ahead in the second half but the frailty on the night of a backline that contained two fledgling centre-backs proved costly as the Bantams hit back to earn a draw.
“I am proud and hugely disappointed,” Hamshaw said. “I thought we tripped ourselves up and that game should have been a lot more comfortable than it was.
“We should have won it. I thought our attacking play was outstanding.”
Rotherham took a first-half lead through Denzel Hall and then added to their advantage when fit-again striker Martin Sherif marked his return from a five-week absence by scoring within five minutes of his half-time introduction.
The Millers had been suspect in defence throughout the encounter and Bradford took advantage as Antoni Sarcevic reduced the arrears in the 56th minute before Alex Pattison grabbed an 81st-minute equaliser.
Hamshaw had words of comfort for centre-backs Lenny Agbaire and Jamal Baptiste, aged 20 and 21 respectively and both yet to hit double figures for senior appearances.
“We showed a bit of naivety in the defending, but the lads who have made the mistakes are going to be big players for this club,” the boss said.
“They’re young. But, at the same time, they have to learn quicker.”
Rotherham moved up from 23rd to 21st spot and can take encouragement from how dangerous they looked going forward now that some of their attacking players have left the treatment room.
Bradford boss Graham Alexander said: “I think it was a deserved point. We are a little bit disappointed, with the chances that we created, that we didn’t win the game.
“But being 2-0 down was a difficult scenario for us. To be fair to the players, they never gave up. They kept going and were roared on by a brilliant crowd and we got two goals in front of that end.
“I thought that in the last 20 minutes we were the team trying to win the game. I am disappointed that we let in two sloppy goals. I don’t think we were as assertive as we should have been in the first part of the game.
“I felt like we should have won but I can see why we didn’t.”