Lincoln City 1 Rotherham United 1
Fiorini 55 Smith 22
Rotherham United came away with a point from the LNER Stadium last night but had enough chances to get all three.
The Imps started the better the first chance on six minutes when Anthony Scully looked to send a perfect ball through to Tom Hopper in a dangerous position only for Rarmani Edmonds-Green to get there first sending the ball out for a corner which came out to former Miller Chris Maguire who got it up to Lewis Montsma the Dutchman seeing his header go over. Minutes later Lasse Sorensen looked for Hopper with Millers’ ‘keeper making the quick decision to come out and thwart him. At the other end Chieo Ogbene worked his magic down the wing sending Jamie Lindsay on his way with his shot blocked the following corner coming to nothing before Michael Smith looked to have scored from close range only for Lincoln goalie Joshua Griffith to pull off a great save. The first change of the night came for the hosts on the twenty-second minute when an injury forced Conor McGrandles to be replaced by Lewis Fiorini. Two minutes later the Millers were in front after some decent hold-up play from Freddie Ladapo before sending the ball into the area where Smith got on the end of it and stuck it in the net sending the travelling fans at the other end wild. A Dan Barlaser free-kick found the head of Michael Ihiekwe who sent the ball into a crowded penalty area which was eventually cleared before Scully got through the Millers’ defence only to find Johansson in his way before it’s the Millers’ ‘keeper again who gets to a Maguire cross before Scully minutes later. On thirty-seven minutes the hosts came close to an equaliser with Johansson again having to get down to save from Fiorini followed by some good ‘keeping at the other end from Griffiths who got a hand to a shot from Ollie Rathbone. As the board went up for an additional five minutes Edmonds-Green did well to defend a corner before Ihiekwe stopped Hopper in his tracks close to goal.
Lincoln started the second half as they had finished the first on top and ten minutes in got the equaliser. Lewis Fiorini got the ball in the middle of the park running forward and playing a one-two with Chris Maguire and the Manchester City loanee put the ball under the diving Viktor Johansson to make it one-all. Michael Smith was the first to see yellow followed by one for City’s Adam Jackson ten minutes later who hacked Ollie Rathbone down after the Millers player had skipped past Lewis Montsma with the Lincoln wall doing their job stopping the resulting Dan Barlaser free-kick. A former Miller Chris Maguire was replaced by another former Miller Hakeeb Adelakun with two substitutions for the Millers saw the impressive Tolaji Bola and Freddie Ladapo make way for Kieran Sadlier and Will Grigg. Chieo Ogbene was finding freedom and another good cross in found it’s way to the head of Michael Smith who was denied by Josh Griffiths. A poor challenge on Regan Poole saw Joe Mattock get his (obligatory) yellow card with Johansson easily holding a shot from Anthony Scully minutes later before the Millers’ ‘keeper flew off his line to stop to stop a good through ball finding Tom Hopper in space. At the other end another superb cross from Ogbene again found Smith who was again denied by the good ‘keeping of Griffiths. It was then Griggs turn to receive a ball from Ogbene and his turn to be foiled from point-blank range by Griffiths. With ten minutes to go the Millers made their final change fetching on Ben Wiles for Jamie Lindsay with Cohen Bramall replacing Jamie Robson for the hosts. A nasty challenge by Montsma on Smith gave the Millers a free-kick which ended in a corner with the ball coming in to Mattock who found Edmonds-Green there but the Huddersfield loanee saw his header go just wide. More corners followed for the Millers before Griffiths did well to save from Sadlier before a great ball in from Barlaser found Wiles who saw his shot go inches past the post. With the board going up for four extra minutes Barlaser again sent a ball through finding Smith who curled his shot wide followed by Wiles sending the ball to Rathbone who saw his shot blocked.
An exciting second-half at the LNER last night saw both teams come away with a point but, to be honest, it could have been oh so much more for the Millers but for the good work of Lincoln’s keeper Josh Griffiths.