Port Vale: Richards backs fellow strikers to hit target
Rotherham have the joint second best defensive record in the division, having conceded just 14 goals in 15 games so far.
Meanwhile, only three sides have scored less than the 17 league goals Vale have netted this season.
While Richards has contributed six of those goals, loan strikers Jamie Guy and Lewis Haldane have drawn a blank in a combined 13 league appearances.
But Richards said: "I'm confident in the strikers we've got, and we've also had decent players on the bench such as Louis Dodds, Jamie Guy and Rob Taylor.
"As attacking players, we need to get to grips with games early on.
"We go 1-0 up, but we then need to push on and get two or three goals to give us a bit of comfort. But I believe in the lads. They work hard in training and do extra finishing sessions.
"The ball will drop for the likes of Jamie Guy and he's going to pop up with a goal soon enough."
In fairness, Guy has made only three substitute appearances in League Two since arriving on loan from Colchester United. Dodds and Taylor, meanwhile, have also weighed in with six league goals between them.
Boss Micky Adams has a strong squad to pick from for tomorrow's clash, with only two definitely out through injury.
One is striker Geoff Horsfield, with his groin, and the other is centre-half Gareth Owen who sustained a double fracture of his cheek bone during Tuesday's Johnstone's Paint Trophy defeat at Bradford City.
The Millers started off like a train this season, winning five of their first six league clashes.
But they have dropped off the pace in recent weeks since losing former boss Mark Robins to South Yorkshire neighbours Barnsley.
Since Ronnie Moore took charge seven games ago, Rotherham have two wins in all competitions and lie fifth in the table.
The Millers will also be without former Vale midfielder Micky Cummins, who has an abductor muscle problem.
Former Crewe midfielder Gary Roberts, who is a free agent, has been on trial with Rotherham this week and could sign in time for the game.
However, another ex-Alex player will be itching to earn a recall to face his boyhood club tomorrow.
Striker Tom Pope, from Sneyd Green, has struggled to make an impact since securing a £150,000 summer switch from Crewe.
The 24-year-old has managed only one league goal in 14 appearances, and lost his place to Drewe Broughton in last weekend's 3-2 FA Cup victory at Wealdstone.
Pope said: "Before I started playing football, I used to go to Vale games.
"I was an avid fan, but when you are playing football you have to choose one or the other. I think I chose wisely, looking at how Vale have gone down the leagues over the years."
Adams was keen to play down the importance of tomorrow's result with his side lying five points adrift of the play-off zone.
He said: "We can't get too far ahead of ourselves. It's a game of football we will try to win. There is no gap to the play-offs at the moment, though. Even the teams at the top have not got promoted yet ... it's only the middle of November.
"If there is a five-point gap with a game to go, then I'll think we've blown it."
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