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Ian Evatt knows his Wanderers are in for a rough ride on Saturday against Rotherham United.
Paul Warne’s Millers boast one of the most physical attacking line-ups in League One – with in-form 6ft 4ins target man Michael Smith at its point.
The former Bury and Portsmouth front man has scored five goals in his last six games despite Rotherham’s indifferent form – and though Wanderers go into this weekend in high spirits after banging five past Ipswich, Evatt won’t allow himself to get carried away.
“We enjoyed Ipswich last Saturday and on Sunday morning – but after that it had been and gone, you don’t get any more points for having scored five,” he said.
“Monday morning it was back to work. Heads in the game again. And this is not the sort of game that we can afford to let our concentration drop for a moment.
“I think this will be the biggest challenge, a test of how far we have come.
“Last season there were two league separating the two teams.
“Rotherham are direct, physical, high-intensity, they press, and it will be a really difficult match-up for us.
“We have to stand up to that, win our first and second contacts and switch modes to be cool, calm and collected on the ball. It is a really difficult thing to do but we have worked hard today on them and some ideas for us, and hopefully you will see that come to fruition on Saturday.
“We are well aware of the attacking threats Rotherham have and the threat they pose, so we need to make sure we’re at it.”
Rotherham lead League One in shots on goal and crosses into the box, and also feature highly on the list for aerial balls won.
That gives a clue as to the sort of challenge Wanderers will face at the UniBol – and Evatt has instructed his players that they cannot allow themselves to be drawn into a slug fest.
“Rotherham play to their strengths and there is nothing wrong with that,” he said.
“If we get involved in a physical battle then we’re going to lose because we are not built for that. We are built to move, play and pass, create openings and opportunities.
“If we stick to our gameplan and compete physically then I think we are a match for anyone. But I think it will be a really, really difficult game.
“We know what is coming – but knowing what to expect and dealing with it are two completely different things.”
Evatt also gave an update on the racial abuse reported against Dapo Afolayan on Saturday and Elias Kachunga last week.
He added: “As I believe, the police are gathering evidence from the social media platforms and then after that will be looking for prosecutions, so as far as I know, that is where it is at.”
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