Source: Northern_Echo
Miller is keen to avoid a repeat
There was a certain sense of deja-vu when Darlington won the first leg of their FA Trophy semi-final with Gateshead in front of raucous home support last week.[LNB] That was the scenario three years ago when they took on Rochdale in the League Two play-offs, but Quakers' hopes of reaching Wembley were dashed when they lost the second leg in a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out a week later.[LNB] Having been part of Dave Penney's team that season, captain Ian Miller is determined to ensure there is no repeat performance today and is keen to hammer home the message: it's not over yet.[LNB] Miller was in the squad that travelled to Spotland having won 2-1 at the Arena, the centre-back having given Penney's men the advantage thanks to a dramatic late goal.[LNB] Today Darlington make the short trip up the A1, again armed with a one-goal advantage, after winning 3-2 seven days ago.[LNB] "We've been here before, but didn't get through. It looked all rosy when we beat Rochdale at home, but then we capitulated at their place," said Miller.[LNB] "So we're taking nothing for granted and hopefully we'll keep a clean sheet on Saturday and progress.[LNB] "It would be naive to think we're in the final. You can't be that blasé just because you've got a one-goal lead.[LNB] "We all know what we need to do and if we do things right and play as we have been playing then I think the result should take care of itself."[LNB] The Rochdale play-off game was one of the last occasions in which a large crowd had cheered Darlington to victory on home soil, something that did not go unnoticed with Miller.[LNB] With over 1,300 tickets sold to Quakers fans already, he said: "I said to a few of the lads, it was the first time in a long time that I'd walked out of that tunnel at the Arena and the hairs on the back of my neck had stood up.[LNB] "The last time we had had that kind of atmosphere in the stadium would've been the Rochdale game.[LNB] "It does make a difference and I'm sure there'll be a fair number of Darlington fans making the trip to Gateshead."[LNB] Today's game is the second time Quakers have visited Gateshead inside 11 days, having also drawn 2-2 in the league a week last Tuesday, a game in which Miller was partnered at the back by Adam Quinn.[LNB] With Quinn cup-tied, Miller will play alongside teenager Dan Burn and the pair know that keeping a clean sheet would be enough to take Quakers to Wembley.[LNB] Darlington had conceded only two goals in six matches prior to their first meeting with Gateshead, but the Heed have bagged four in two games with Quakers.[LNB] There are no plans, however, for Darlington to be defensive today and Miller said: "I think if we sit back and invite pressure that's when the problems will arise. We're not going to go looking for a 0-0, we'll attack and try to push them back, that will keep us higher up the pitch and hopefully keep them away from our goal.[LNB] "They're a lively side when they're attacking and they have some good offensive players, but we can only be concerned about ourselves.[LNB] "We've scored five goals in two games against them, hopefully we can add to that, maybe from a set-piece because big Dan Burn is due one."[LNB] Miller has scored twice already this month, including one in the trip to Gateshead, when the captain celebrated on the running track surrounding the International Stadium pitch, pretending to be a sprinter on the starting blocks.[LNB] He said: "A lot of thought went into that celebration![LNB] "The two goals I've scored recently had been a long time coming, but looking back I'm surprised I didn't get a caution for leaving the green stuff. I think the referee took it light-heartedly."[LNB] Miler's goal against Rochdale three years ago will live longer in the memory.[LNB] "I'd only been on the pitch about three minutes - I came on for Alan White - and I remember Neil Wainwright shanked one of his free-kicks, their keeper Tommy Lee punched me in the head and the ball bounced off the back of my head into the net.[LNB] "At the end of the season it said I'd scored in that game and that's all that really matters. It's like on the scorecard in golf, it doesn't show you where the ball pitched, it tells you how many shots you took.[LNB] "We might need that bit of luck on Saturday, a freak goal, we'd taken anything to get through to the final."[LNB]
