Barnsley head coach Darrell Clarke was pleased with the robust nature of his team after they beat Rotherham 1-0 at New York Stadium.
Adam Phillips’ second-half spot-kick proved the difference as Barnsley ended a run of six games without a win.
Clarke said: “It is a performance we haven’t had much of this season. We have had to roll our sleeves up.
“We were really strong defensively as a unit. I thought the back three were magnificent and it is a pleasing three points for us.
“We weren’t great with the ball but we defended the box and we need that more.
“We defended well as a team. It’s a good little stepping stone for the start of a big week for us.
“We’ve won the game with a really robust performance.
“I think we defended a hell of a lot better. To be successful you’ve got to find different ways of winning games. It hasn’t always got to be pretty.
“My teams have never been soft and flaky. We have done a lot of work on that to make sure we don’t become that.
“We have got to win the next game. We are playing massive catch-up due to a lack of consistency and various other things.
“We will try to get another win on Tuesday [against Northampton].”
Rotherham manager Steve Evans was disappointed to see his team lose another Derby following a 2-0 loss at Oakwell earlier in the season.
He said: “They were the better team all over the pitch. It looked a tired performance.
“There were too many poor performances. How many players have done their job on the pitch? From a Rotherham perspective it’s very few.
“If a goal was going to come it was going to come from the penalty spot.
“We have to get on with it and work hard. We tried to go on the front foot and take the game to them. They’ve been on a similar run to us.
“We did not do enough when we got in good areas. We have not forced their goalkeeper into a save.
“We wanted to make up for a bad night at Oakwell but we have carried that performance on.
“There’s a lot of football to be played and players are playing for their future.”
