Peterborough United’s poor away form v Rotherham United’s bad home form, Millers boss wary of ‘brilliant’ Posh forwards and the referee whose performance led to a £1,000 fine for Darren Ferguson

Peterborough United will try and take advantage of Rotherham United’s homesickeness in tomorrow’s League One promotion battle at the New York Stadium (December 29, 3pm).
Posh skipper Mark Beevers.Posh skipper Mark Beevers.
Posh skipper Mark Beevers.

The Millers are fifth, just a point and a place behind Posh despite having the third worst home record in the division with three wins and four defeats in 10 matches.

Rotherham secured their seventh away win of the season at Shrewsbury on Boxing Day to move onto the heels of Posh who were beaten 3-0 at home by Doncaster. Posh, who will hand captain Mark Beevers a late fitness test, haven’t won away from home since the 2-1 success at Gillingham on October 19.

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”We have to move on quickly from that defeat,” Posh boss Darren Ferguson stated. “And we will. It’s another tough game for us at Rotherham, but we have the quality in the dressing room to get the result we want there.”

Rotherham manager Paul WarneRotherham manager Paul Warne
Rotherham manager Paul Warne

Rotherham are mindful of a backlash from Posh. Manager Paul Warne also believes his team’s home form will soon turn.

Warne told the Yorkshire Post: “We are desperate to try and get a win at home, but I don’t want to make a big deal about it as it just adds pressure.

“If you had flipped a couple of draws into wins, we would be second or third or something. But we are not a million miles away. It is a new team who have had the heart ripped out of it and we lost our wingers who were a massive part of how we play.

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“If we had kept the team together from last season, I think we would have been a bit higher. But that is how football is there is always change.

“Peterborough will be looking to desperately pick up points and I expect them to take the game to us,” he added.

“They are a good team with a brilliant strike force and there is a lot we need to address, but, hopefully, we can be really competitive.

“After these next few games, I think we will have a really good opinion of where we will be.

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“With the top 14 teams, everyone nicks points off each other.”

The match referee tomorrow is veteran Andy Haines whose performance in a Doncaster match in 2018 cost Ferguson a £1,000 fine after comments which suggested he wanted unfit, bad referees ‘shot.’ Ferguson apologised after being found charged and fine by the Football Association.