ROTHERHAM United manager Steve Evans acknowledged that his chastened Millers side ‘couldn’t touch’ a well-heeled Birmingham City side, who confirmed their status of huge title favourites with a consummate 2-0 victory at the AESSEAL New York Stadium.
The outcome of the game was effectively decided after just 22 minutes with goals from the impressive Tomoki Iwata and £15m man Jay Stansfield putting Blues – chasing a fifth straight league success – on course for another three League One points.
Beforehand the game, Evans paid tribute to Blues and stated his belief that they could get 100 points this season and the Midlanders displayed plenty of evidence as to their prowess on the day.
But despite appreciating the depth of quality that the Blues possess, the Rotherham chief offered no excuses on the day with the Millers – regardless of the visitors’ acumen – failing to lay a glove on Blues, who have not dropped any points since the opening day of the season.
Evans, whose side have won just one of their opening four home league games this term, said: “I said to the players that they (Birmingham) are the best League One side I’ve ever seen in terms of how they pass and move and they are six games in.
“They need to be doing that in November or December and time will only tell if their manager can get them producing that. But they are a terrific side full of good young players. I know a lot of them personally.
“But we have absolutely no excuses today. We couldn’t touch them.
I thought we were poor in spells. I (actually) thought we started really well in the first seven or eight minutes. I think their goal was against the run of play really and we were the dominant side (before) and looking the more penetrative side.
“But if you ask a player to do a specific role and we do not do it and the boy is going to be striking it in from 22 or 23 yards, he will put it where he can put it and he scores a goal.
“Then, I think the game becomes dominated by them and then for the second goal, the midfielder was given far too much time to put it into an area and he (Stansfield) bends his run and he’s onside. There’s no excuses with that decision.
“We had to get through to half-time and we changed it and we were much better afterwards and more disciplined.
“They are always going to make a chance and overly create at times. We got in several good areas, but this was a day where we never looked like it.
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