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Rotherham Reaction: Mackay focuses on hard work

Last updated : 22 December 2014 By Paul Farrington

The Latics started the game without a recognised striker and allowed Rotherham, without a win in six games, to dominate proceedings.

Soft goals apart the Latics put in a very poor performance and new manager Malky Mackay has focussed his attentions on the need to 'work hard' to take things forward.

Speaking to the club's official website after the game Mackay said: “I thought we lost a truly awful goal in the first half and that set us back after having two or three early forays on their goal. To lose that was a real blow just before half time.

 
“It was a case of coming out in the second half and having a real go and we got ourselves back into the game with Ben’s good header but then we let ourselves down with the set-piece at the other end.
 
“As far as I’m concerned, that’s a soft goal to lose with a header from the edge of the box and after that we were unfortunate because we lost Leon Barnett with a hamstring issue after we’ve brought our three subs on so we’re down to ten and then we have the two chances in the last five minutes where Marco roles their centre-back and, on any other day, sticks it in the back of the net.
 
“After that, we hit the bar with Oriol Riera’s header in the last couple of minutes so today, you could probably say lady luck didn’t really smile on us.”

The result left Mackay with one point from his first five games as Latics manager and teh defeat was the worst possible start to a triple header of fixtures against three Yorkshire based sides in and around ourselves in the relegation battle.

Next up is the trip to Leeds United on Boxing Day before Sheffield Wednesday visit he DW Stadium on Decembr 30th.