Town boss Kieran McKenna was happy with his side’s display in the first half of their 1-0 defeat at Rotherham United but admitted it was different game in the second.

Michael Smith’s 78th-minute goal was the difference between the sides, although in the first half it was Town that had the best chance when James Norwood scuffed a golden opportunity wide.

“I think the first half was probably a fair reflection of where we’ve been lately,” McKenna said. “I thought it was a good performance against a very difficult team.

“I thought we stood up to the physical threat well, I thought we gave them all sorts of problems when we played through the pitch, they struggled to deal with the overloads, we had runners on the last line and we had the clearest chance in the whole game in that period and a couple of other opportunities that we really should have capitalised on.

“I think they were probably glad to get to half-time at 0-0 and we should be going in with a lead.

“Obviously the second half was a completely different game. They managed to impose themselves in the first few minutes physically and turned it into a game of set plays.

“I think the ball was hardly in play in the whole half, it just became a barrage of corners and throw-ins that we weren’t able to stand up to for the whole half, and we weren’t able to get the ball in play enough and secure enough possession to be able to keep them away from our goal.

“It becomes very difficult within that situation against a Rotherham team, who are obviously very, very good at that phase of the game.”

The defeat mathematically ended any lingering hopes the Blues might have had of making the top six, however, McKenna felt it was looking all but impossible anyway.

“I think over the last week or two we’ve mentally known that we would go to try and win every game but that the play-offs were probably going to be beyond us for the play-offs this year,” he said.

“It was always going to be a very tall ask after the start to the season that we had and the points we’ve had to claw back, and especially with the runs that the other teams have had.

“I don’t think today changes that, it’s probably points that we’ve dropped earlier in the season that dictated that.

“For us it’s about building now. I think it’s really clear for me to say, I think it’s clear for other people to see the areas of the game that we’re very good at and the things that we’re doing very well and there are also things that we need to do better and things that we need to improve in the summer, both with our recruitment and with coaching.

“We look forward to that process now. We can go into the summer with a really good level of clarity of what we need to do to improve the team and improve the squad and that’s a process we’re looking forward to and a really important process to set us in a better position to start the season well and hopefully be in a very different position in 12 months’ time.”

The Northern Irishman said he made the decision to hand 19-year-old Elkan Baggott his league debut earlier in the week with the Indonesia international's parents watching from the stands.

“We made it in the middle of the week, it wasn’t an easy decision because you’re putting in a player who has not played a proper competitive game,” he said.

“I know he played in the EFL Trophy a couple of seasons ago but I don’t think you can compare that with Rotherham away.

“But it’s very important to us that we show the young players here that there’s a pathway and an opportunity here and if you train well and you buy into everything that we’re doing, then when opportunities come along then you’ll get your chance.

“And I think that was the right thing with Elkan, I think he can be pleased with his performance on a personal level and it sets him off well and hopefully he can build on that experience, I’m sure he will do, and take the lessons forward in his career.”

Quizzed on whether one or two younger players might get a chance in the remaining games, the likes of striker Tyreece Simpson and midfielder Cameron Humphreys, he added: “We have to look at it. Our first thought now is towards Wigan and making sure that we’re very competitive in that game.

“It’s a disappointed feeling today because of how the second half went but we can’t allow ourselves to stew on that for too long because we’ve got a very similar type of game against Wigan on Tuesday night at home and the first thought has to be putting out what we feel is the best team to win that game on Tuesday night.”
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Can the Blues learn much from Rotherham and how they got the victory over the line in the second half?

“There were no surprises from Rotherham today, they do what they do very well and they’ve done it very well over a number of years, so we knew exactly what to expect,” McKenna reflected.

“Again, I thought we stood up to it pretty well in the first half and that’s one of the bits that we need to be able to do better is when we do impose ourselves in a game, we need to have better execution and then be better in those moments to score.

“I think in the second half when they took that physical challenge to us with the set plays and with the man-to-man press all over the pitch where they were leaving us one-v-ones in 60 yards of space, we need to have more weapons to hurt them in that phase and we need to have more solidity about us to defend that barrage in those moments in this league when it comes.

“I think they’re a very good, a very successful team, they play how they play, they do it very well and we got exactly what we expected and we just need to develop and get better at playing how we want to play.”

Rotherham manager Paul Warne felt it was a vital victory for his side after a tough spell which had seen them drop out of the top two.

“We’ve been on a bit of a sticky wicket. I wanted a win, obviously, but I also just wanted a performance to give the lads a boost,” he said.

“I thought the fans turned up in good voice and were excellent today, they gave the lads a real boost.

“In the first half we were a little nervy but in the second we were really, really good. I thought we deserved our win.

“Even if we hadn’t won, I’d have been proud of the lads today. Hopefully, we can take that into the Burton game on Tuesday.

“All the people who went to the End of Season Dinner were full of praise for the lads, they were seeing all the great goals we’ve scored and maybe, it gave them a little bit of a boost.”

Photo: Pagepix

blueboy1981 added 15:36 - Apr 17 Other than perhaps ‘loan players' here now that could be made permanent signings … (not sure who ??? - if any !!) - WHY play them now, when the season is over for us … ?? It doesn't make any sense. Maybe Kieron Dyer had a seriously considered point ?? - and whatever the reason for Simpson not having featured since his return - surely with the continuously punchless attack, he should have. I know he has been injured, before some wag points it out - but he was on fire when he came back, and playing for the Under 23's … !!! We will always have deluded and hyper optimistic supporters - but right now there is an awful amount of improvement to come from somewhere. A watertight defence - and a punchless non productive attack WINS NOWT !!! And that is basically where we are, and what we have. Next season - LOOKS REAL TOUGH already …. !!!!

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ChrisFelix added 09:57 - Apr 18 With a biase of yellow cards we gained in the first half I wonder if this curtailed our positivity after the break. Bearing in mind what had happened the previous week no one was going to risk a second yellow.
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