Matt Hamshaw focuses on positives as Rotherham end eight-game losing run

Rotherham boss Matt Hamshaw said he saw enough in the 1-1 draw with AFC Wimbledon to know his side can beat the League One drop.

The Millers looked like ending an eight-game losing streak in all competitions with victory when Zak Jules opened the scoring early in the second half.

They missed chances to extend their lead and it was costly as Marcus Browne’s late header stole a point for the visitors.

It leaves Hamshaw’s side five points from Burton in 20th ahead of a crunch clash with fourth-bottom Northampton on Tuesday.

“It’s two points dropped. In the second half for 20-25 minutes we were excellent and we should have been three or four up,” he said.

“We didn’t take our chances, they have one shot on target and score a goal. The overriding feeling for myself and the supporters is a negative one but at the same time, it’s a point.

“That is the bit we can take out of it. This run we have been on is awful so it’s a point and now we have to try and be positive.

“We have got Northampton on Tuesday and I think you saw for 65 minutes what the team is capable of when we have our team on the pitch.

“I understand the frustration at the end but we just needed that second goal. It felt like it was going to be 1-0 or 2-0, I couldn’t see them scoring, they weren’t hurting us and there was a flurry of our attacks in the second half.

“They are the bits that disappoint. The positive is that it’s a point but the negative is that it should have been three.

“I know I’m opening myself up to criticism with that statement but we should have had three. We have to take it into Tuesday and make sure we start like that.”

After an even first half, the Millers took the ascendency when Jules opened the scoring and Ar’Jany Martha, who is hoping to go to the World Cup with Curacao, should have made it two but had two goalbound efforts blocked.

Jules then missed a golden chance at the end when he headed over Joe Powell’s free-kick.

Dons boss Johnnie Jackson admitted he had to “respect the point”.

“We came here to try and win the game.” he said. “We wanted to leave with three, but obviously, with the way the game’s gone, going behind, certainly to come back and get a point is really important.

“It was very important not to lose. It wasn’t a brilliant performance from us, but we showed a lot of resilience and character there to get back in the game.

“I think we ended on a really positive note. It’s probably a fair result, really, on the reflection of the game, I suppose that is my gut feeling.

“Respect the point and move on to another tough one on Tuesday (against Port Vale).”