Harford Confident Of Stopping Rot

Harford has seemingly been helpless to see his team slide from a play off place in early September to within a defeat of the relegation zone just two months later with his players winning none of the eleven games since the last victory against Gillingham. To make matters worse the Millers have whimpered out of the two major cup competitions and only just scraped through on penalties against Non-League opposition in the LDV trophy.

Confident

Understandably the pressure is beginning to build on Harford and he his keen to reassure the fans that a turn around isn't too far away. Talking to Rotherham United's official site, Harford commented: " Despite all the recent results that have gone against us I can reassure all our supporters that we will remain positive and I am sure the tide will turn. I am confident we can envisage better results to get us out of the rut and the lads will keep working hard and tirelessly on the training ground. I am out most nights watching games and if you keep doing the right things then all the hard work that the staff are putting in along with the players on the training ground will see the rewards reaped."

The Millers will not envy having to face Colchetser though as the U's come in to the game on the back of a stunning 9-1 victory in the FA Cup last week against lowly Leamington and an unbeaten away run that stretches back to the end of August. The Millers do have happy memories of Colchester though as they achieved a winning double over them last time they met in the league in the epic promotion season of 2000/01. They also dispatched the Essex side in the League Cup in 2003 that was rewarded with a famous trip to Highbury.

The game will be a different matter entirely though but despite their great win last week, Colchester manager Phil Parkinson, knows his team will need to be on their game if they're to collect the points. Talking to teamtalk, Parkinson said: "There's no denying that last week was a huge confidence booster but Rotherham will obviously be a totally different game. But we are unbeaten in five away and we are looking to continue that. We have to make sure we are mentally right and that we compete right from the start. We have got to make sure we switch from the mentality of facing Leamington to the mentality we need to face Rotherham."

Definitely Out

Parkinson will have a tricky choice to make as he must decide whether to stick with the strikeforce of Jamie Cureton and Chris Iwelumo or revert to the 4-5-1 system that has served so well away from home. The game will see the return of Kevin Watson as skipper for Colchester and he is in his second season at Layer Road following his move from Reading, the club he left the Millers to join in 2002.

Meanwhile, the Millers are definitely without Barry Conlon, Gregor Robertson and Michael Keane who are all injury victims and a victory for Rotherham will see them overtake Colchester in the league.
Millersmad would like to remind everyone that due to the friendly between England and Argentina, this game kicks off at 2pm.

Millermad Prediction: 1-1.