So many injuries, so much pride: Matt Hamshaw reacts to a defiant Rotherham United day at Luton Town
PROUD boss Matt Hamshaw saluted the character of his players as Rotherham United overcame their ever-lengthening injury list to stretch their unbeaten League One run this afternoon.
The Millers went into the away clash with Luton Town with no senior centre-halves and lacking the services of attackers Sam Nombe and Marvin Kaleta while they also lost strikers Jordan Hugill and Martin Sherif during the contest.
Despite that, they gave a heroic, backs-to-the-wall display to grind out a goalless draw against opponents who had won their previous four matches.
After watching his side make it seven third-tier outings without defeat, Hamshaw said: “I think the energy, the grit, the determination and the clean sheet speaks volumes about the group.
“I'm unbelievably pleased with the performance. You've only got to look at the circumstances surrounding it. I felt that if we'd have had more attacking options on the pitch, we could have won the game.
“Jordan rolled his ankle and Martin was feeling his hamstring slightly, so I couldn't really take any risks in that area of the pitch. I thought we played some really good stuff in the first half. Second half, we weren't that much of a goal threat.”
The result lifted depleted Rotherham to 11th spot - their highest place in the table all season - and they are only four points away from the play-off reckoning.
The Millers also had to do without the attacking talents of Ar'Jany Martha who is away on international duty.
Praising his squad's desire to “fight for the badge”, Hamshaw added: “I've said to the players all along, it's easy to use excuses.
“At this moment, we probably have a lot of excuses and it would have been easy to come here, roll over, lose 1-0 or 2-0, and think: ‘Well, that's not a bad result.’
“But that's not the mentality of this group. I think they're gaining confidence from this run that we're on.”
Nombe, Hugill, Sherif and wing-back Denzel Hall – who damaged his shoulder in the first half but played on until the end – are all due to have scans as Rotherham turn their attention to next Saturday's trip to Reading.
“You go through the team today – we lost four players this week who were in the squad last week,” Hamshaw said. “It just seems that the bad luck we're having is ridiculous.
“We need to talk about the group who were out there today and how well they've all done.”