Tis: “Rotherham is a very big game”

The Grecians sit two points ahead of the Millers – though Rotherham have a game in hand – and both teams will be seeing the prospect of three points as a real boost to their promotion hopes and the push towards the automatic spots.

“Rotherham is a very big game,” said Tis.  “It’s ironic that we should be playing them on a weekend that is destined for bad weather again, having played them at the Park in probably the worst conditions of the season at home.

“We’re both desperate for three points, we’re very close in the league – it’s a six-pointer.  Of the competitors of ours, most of them are playing at home in winnable games.  So for us, this is a very big game to stay in the position that we are currently, and I’m sure Rotherham will want to do the same.”

With no fresh injury concerns beyond those of the long-term absentees, Tis is also grateful for the flying start that youngster Lawson D’Ath has made to his life at City and the impact that he should be able to make in the run-in.

“It’s always good when a player comes in and does well,” he continued.  “It wasn’t a guess – when Jake Taylor joined us a year and a half ago, Eamonn [Dolan] mentioned that there’s another player, should we be looking, and that was Lawson.  So for the last 18 months I’ve seen him in a reserve game or two, and seen him in the game against us for Cheltenham and watched him play at Yeovil.

“I always thought that if we needed someone to play in that position in which he played on Saturday – in advanced midfield – that he would be a very good person to try to sign on loan.  I didn’t think for one minute that we would have injuries to Alan Gow, Matt Oakley and Liam Sercombe – so I suppose it shows the merits of planning in advance, and having a plan should you need someone.

“We signed him knowing exactly what he can do – he’s a young and developing player, but he’s a talented player and he played with real energy and speed to the ball; he defended from the front and all those sorts of things.”