Rotherham United 0 Bury 0: Captain Cresswell’s promotion target as he hits comeback trail

Three months after breaking a collar bone and then damaging an ankle in training, Cresswell made his comeback against former club Bury in League Two’s match of the day.

With the division’s two top scorers, Ryan Lowe and Adam Le Fondre, pitted against each other, a goalless draw was a huge surprise.But it was still a highly entertaining encounter between the fifth and second-placed sides which the Millers possibly shaded on chances created.

They also deserved credit for keeping a clean sheet, having had to reshape their defence.

Cresswell was commanding on his return and new central defensive partner Johnny Mullins proved a perfect foil, the converted full-back’s extra yard of pace getting the Millers out of trouble on several occasions.

Dale Tonge was solid at right-back, having replaced dead leg victim Danny Coid in the second half of the controversial defeat at Bradford, and Callum Kennedy again proved an able deputy for suspended left-back Tom Newey.

Of his new partnership – Nick Fenton failed a test on a thigh injury but would have had to settle for a place on the bench – Cresswell said: “It was the first time we have played together but although it’s early days there were some good signs. He is comfortable on the ball and is a good talker at the side of me and we just play off each other. If I go and attack those headers he will sweep up for me and vice-versa.”

The draw moved Rotherham to fourth as other results went for them and they are now four points behind third-placed Wycombe ahead of Friday’s trip to leaders Chesterfield.

Cresswell continued: “We wanted three points with it being a home game but, to be fair, they had their chances. I thought we were going to pinch it but we will take a point and move on because they are a good team.

“We have discussed what is required and said before today that 20 points and we will be up. You need to win your home games and pick up a point away. We just need to put a few back-to-back wins together and we will be up there.”

Cresswell had a mirror image in the Bury side but when they clashed in the ninth minute it was the Millers captain who left Efe Sodje in agony.

Sodje is a player opposing fans love to hate but would have in their side. He was booked for clattering Le Fondre early on and a couple more crude challenges could easily have brought his dismissal but that was the only way he was going to leave the action.

The veteran Nigerian left the ground with his right arm in a sling caused by his collision with Cresswell and he said afterwards: “I broke a bone above my wrist – I felt it go. I told the bench but there was no way I could come off because of all the injuries we’ve got, and anyway I didn’t want to.

“I’m suspended for the next two games but I’ll be back after that. I didn’t even have it strapped during the game so if I can play like that I’ll be okay to play when I’ve finished the suspension.”

A fully-paid up member of the defenders’ union, Sodje was delighted Le Fondre failed to add to his 21-goal tally even though Lowe could not add to his 24.

“The league’s top strikers were on show but the defenders on both sides won the day and I think a draw was a fair result. A point keeps us five points in front of Rotherham and if we are still that far in front at the end of the season I’m sure we’ll go up.”

Lowe showed plenty of menace cutting in from the left in the first period but was quiet after the break and Le Fondre looked sharp after being rested by Ronnie Moore at Valley Parade when a linesman ruled that a City shot off the bar in the dying stages had crossed the line.

The Millers could have done with him on Saturday as the referee decreed that Ian Thomas-Moore’s early drive from a tight angle had not crossed the line before Tom Lees cleared.

Bury quelled the Millers’ storming start and Andy Bishop should have done better than shoot at Andy Warrington after latching on to a wayward header from Mullins.

Domination of the game fluctuated after the break as first former Millers manager Alan Knill made a double substitution which Moore matched soon after, including the introduction of Omar Daley, whose loan deal from Bradford he hopes to extend with a view to keeping the winger next season.

Two great opportunities were squandered, however. Lees turned from hero to villain when he met Peter Sweeney’s whipped in cross from the left and placed the ball wide from four yards in the 50th minute.

Ryan Taylor then conjured openings for the Millers, flicking on Warrington’s long clearance for Le Fondre to strike a volley which just did not have enough height to trouble Cameron Belford.

Then Taylor shrugged off a push from Sodje on halfway and clipped the ball through only for Nicky Law to be let down by a poor first touch and the bobbly surface, resulting in him prodding the ball wide when he should have scored as Belford dashed out.

A last-ditch challenge by Sodje then denied Tonge – the Millers calling for a penalty – and Ryan Taylor, as he had been in the first half, was thwarted by Belford rushing out to make the block in the dying stages to leave honours even.

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Rotherham United: Warrington, Tonge, Mullins, Cresswell, Kennedy; Thomas-Moore (Daley 71), Law, J Taylor (Harrison 71), Marshall; Le Fondre, R Taylor. Unused substitutes: Ashworth, Warne, Henderson, Bradley, Annerson.

Bury: Belford, Picken, Sodje, Lees, Skarz; Bennett (Haworth 68), Sweeney, Schumacher, Worrall; Lowe, Bishop (Holroyd 68). Unused substitutes: John-Lewis, M Jones, Branagan, A Jones, Harrop.

Referee: D Webb (Lancs).