Defenders earn managers praise

Last updated : 30 September 2002 By ForestMAD
In front of their highest crowd of the season at the City Ground, Forest went into a 3-0 lead but the Millers fought back to 3-2 and set up a nerve-wracking finish for the fans.

Hart said: "I said to the boys, we're still relatively young and there's only one way to gain experience - and that's to live it.

"They're getting that experience at the moment.

"If they take things from games like these, they will learn what to do in similar situations in the future.

"People are not just going to let us play the way we want to. Once we're getting turned round and looking to our own goal, it's very difficult."

"We're down to 17 players with the two suspensions we have. You can see how brittle the squad is."

"We should have come in with the score at 3-0. I was very disappointed that we gave that goal away just before half-time. I thought then it would be an uphill battle."

"I thought Rotherham were excellent in the second half. They upped their tempo and put balls into the box and we found it very difficult to get out."

"Our defenders were magnificent.

"Walker and Dawson had to head everything and block everything, the goalie was amongst it, the full-backs put their necks on the line and Bopp was excellent. They had to dig in, every single man.

"But I thought in the first half we were absolutely superb. We deserved our 3-0 lead and we possibly should have had more."