In the face of an increasingly hopeless-looking pursuit of survival in League One, Rotherham United manager Lee Clark is refusing to wave the white flag of surrender.
Since the Geordie boss arrived in South Yorkshire, the Millers’ winless run in the league has extended to seven matches, leaving them eleven points adrift of safety. The only slight glimmer of hope for the Rotherham United faithful lies in the fact that they hold two games in hand over the teams currently occupying the positions of parity.
However, given the lack of positive impact since Clark’s arrival at the New York Stadium, perfection is now likely required for any chance of survival – a feat that seems incredibly improbable based on recent performances.
But with feel-good stories in desperately short supply in this corner of South Yorkshire, at least Lee Clark has summoned the required attitude to head into the season’s final stretch with.
Lee Clark Still Believes Safety Is Plausible
Tuesday’s defeat in the Potteries to Port Vale felt like the final nail in the coffin for Rotherham’s unlikely survival hopes, yet the man brought in to rescue the situation remains optimistic that he can orchestrate a miracle.
In response to a question posed by BBC Radio Sheffield, Clark asserted with conviction that as long as survival is mathematically possible, he will not ease up on his efforts, determined to see the job through.
The former Birmingham City boss was left to rue a lacklustre first half in Staffordshire, implying his players never truly engaged in the game until the damage was already done.
“Eighteen points to play for, but what is certain is that we can’t waste half of the football as we did in the first half. We’re not in a position to waste one minute, never mind a half, and we wasted a half.”
While a more progressive and sustained attacking display after half-time might offer some solace for the remaining six matches, the direness of their situation should have ignited a spark in the team from the very beginning.
Time To End The Scoring Drought
In the three matches under Clark’s watch, the team has yet to even score a single goal, let alone secure the vital points needed for survival. Tuesday evening’s tame 1-0 surrender against Port Vale, the only team keeping them off the foot of League One, felt like a missed opportunity they simply couldn’t afford.
Facing a wounded Vale side reeling from a seven-goal thrashing at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup Quarter Final, Rotherham were delivered yet another frustrating and fruitless night. Home goalkeeper Joe Gauci was forced into five saves by a Millers frontline not short of attacking intent, but one sadly lacking in decisive quality.
This isn’t a new issue, however, as goal-scoring has been a persistent struggle throughout the season, a failing that contributed to the parting of ways with Matt Hamshaw. Boasting considerable attacking talent for League One, Rotherham’s persistent struggle to maintain a consistent goal threat has baffled many keen observers this season.
Since their unexpected 4-0 away victory against Exeter City in January, Rotherham have only managed to score four more league goals, causing them to sink further into the mire. Their last victory dates back to late February against an upwardly mobile Plymouth Argyle, and Clark would be wise to draw inspiration from that perplexing match as a blueprint for the remaining six games, each carrying the similar weight of a cup final.
Can Rotherham Muster A Miracle?
Considering the intense competition for points among the teams around them, it’s highly probable that Rotherham needs to secure six consecutive wins just to stand a chance. Despite their manager’s optimism, achieving this would require something bordering on a miracle.
They do have a glimmer of hope in nine-goal top scorer Sam Nombe, a striker capable of embarking on a prolific goal-scoring run, which they desperately need to start in Saturday’s local derby against Barnsley. With little left to lose and their margin for error rapidly shrinking, Rotherham must take the initiative and find a way to create clear-cut chances for the 27-year-old.
In young Leeds United loanee Harry Gray and World Cup-bound Curaçao international Ar’jany Martha, they have players eager to prove their worth and live up to expectations. Regardless of the eventual outcome, the next month offers them the chance to do just that, in front of a fan base deserving of entertainment after a long spell of uninspiring football.
However, there is no doubting that if Rotherham United are to avoid slipping into the fourth tier of the EFL pyramid for the first time since 2013, they will need to produce one of the greatest and most unlikely escapes in football history.
