Rotherham: Pollitt, Scott (Bryan 31), Hurst, Swailes, McIntosh, Garner, Daws, Sedgwick, Monkhouse (Warne 45), Richard Barker, Lee (Byfield 65). Subs not used: Gray, Talbot.
Burnley: Beresford, West, Branch, Gnohere, McGregor, Ian Moore, Weller, Briscoe, Cook, Taylor (Maylett 4 (Papadopoulos 78)), Blake (Alan Moore 87). Subs not used: Armstrong, Payton.
Bookings: Lee, McIntosh (Rotherham). Briscoe, Maylett, Weller, West (Burnley).

We managed to get to Millmoor having missed just the opening five minutes - but on reflection we wouldn't have missed much if we'd missed the 85 minutes that followed. The resulting 0-0 certainly wasn't value for money at £16 for a Southbank style terrace - but there were very positive signs for Reading. These two sides are just below Reading in the table but on this evidence there's every reason we should finish above them both.

Despite the short distance away from Sheffield United's Bramall Lane the pitch was in perfect playing condition. There wasn't a single drop of surface water and it appeared a great surface to play on that didn't cut up at all. The rain didn't return until well into the second half - making it as near perfect football weather as you'd get in November. Having parked up just a short distance from the ground we dived into the centre of the Rotherham core support - behind the goal on the only side of the pitch that hasn't been made into seating. It was as close to an Elm Park Southbank experience you could get with it being hard to find a spare space on the terrace, and to start with we thought it might be an interesting afternoon after all. The home fans were in full voice and the game looked like it might be lively - but then it all tailed away.

For people who worry about the lack of atmosphere in the Madejski Stadium - perhaps there isn't so much to worry about after all. The Burnley fans didn't make a single sound until well into the second half, and the home fans stopped making any noise midway through the first half when the game failed to really get going. In truth there wasn't too much to get excited about. Burnley had clearly come to take the draw and packed their defence to frustrate the home side. When Rotherham did threaten to break through they put in all kinds of dirty challenges to hack players down outside the box. It was amazing that Burnley managed to finish the game with their full set of players - and their rough tactics were probably the main reason they took home a point. The referee certainly didn't help by stopping the game for all kinds of small things and failing to let the game flow. The linesman gave a whole series of incorrect offsides against Rotherham. If I'd have been a Rotherham fan there's no way I could have contained the abuse towards the officials as well as they did.

Burnley had a bright opening before the game turned Rotherham's way. "Monkey" Monkhouse looked very useful for Rotherham down the left wing, and their winger the other side looked pretty good - but they still managed to run out of ideas in the final third. They're a side that try and play nice football - they continually tried to work the ball forward from the defence and try to build up patiently - but that was all spoilt by a Burnley defence that were all too happy to make "determined" tackles and then hoof the ball forward for Rotherham to start all over again. The home side were trying but were a long way from succeeding. Burnley didn't even bother to work the ball forward as they clattered their way around the pitch out-muscling Rotherham.

Rotherham were forced into making two first half substitutions and lost any shape they had in the second half. Perhaps half time came at the wrong time for Rotherham who looked like they were getting well on top and would eventually carve out a goal. "Monkey" went off before the break and game went down hill during a second half of little entertainment for the neutral. We didn't get the Rotherham pressure and eventual goals we expected - and instead the ball was pinging all over the pitch with neither side really bringing it under control.

Burnley had their first shot of the game midway through the second half when a deflection required the Rotherham keeper to tip one wide, and they followed that up with a couple of other attempts that were the closed they came - one just needed a tap in at the far post after a cross right across the face of goal. But Burnley failed to follow up the pressure and the game tailed out to a 0-0 draw. Rotherham perhaps had the better of the game but really failed to do enough to deserve the victory - and Burnley certainly didn't deserve any more than the single point. It was a real 0-0 draw. If Reading had taken on either of these sides I'm confident we would have won. Technically we would have outplayed Rotherham and with Forster up front Burnley would probably have conceeded several penalties playing like that.

Still, at least the Balti Pie was tasty enough...