Another Home Loss For Millers

Rotherham United 0 Luton Town 1
                                             Collins (70)

A disappointing defeat for Rotherham United this evening after not taking their chances in the first half to seeing Luton score then defend very well to take all three points.

It was a scrappy opening five minutes with Luton probably having the better of it with Harry Cornick getting down the left a couple of times before Joe Mattock did well to put him off and run the ball out for a goal kick. Unfortunately that was Mattock’s last action in the game because a minute later he went down and after treatment on the pitch limped off and was replaced by Matt Crooks in a move which saw Ben Wiles move to left-back. Rotherham’s first real foray up front saw Mickel Miller do well to get the ball to Flo Jozefzoon who in turn found Jamie Lindsay. The Scot curled the ball towards goal with Simon Sluga in the Luton goal get strong hands to it and save. And it was Lindsay again who got a perfect ball from Wes Harding only to see Sluga there again to save his shot. Harry Conick was causing a few problems to the Millers defence but strayed offside a couple of times in good positions. Jozefzoon did well sending the ball in to Michael Smith in the goal area who couldn’t quite turn to get a shot away. At the other end Cornick got free and send the ball into the middle with Michael Ihiekwe doing well to get to the ball before Luke Berry. Minutes later it was Ihiekwe who helped the Millers break quickly which ended in a free-kick after Crooks was fouled which came to nothing. On the half-hour mark Cornick sent a good ball to Collins who hit the ball towards goal which hit Angus MacDonald which Jamal Blackman did well to get hold off. More good work down the wing from Jozefzoon saw his cross into the box find Smith who hits it straight at Sluga followed by a Barlaser set-piece which saw Smith climb above everyone else only for his header to be straight at the visiting ‘keeper. At the other end Collins cut the ball back to Moncur who brought off a great save from Blackman with the resulting corner finding the head of Sonny Bradley but didn’t bother anyone. Wiles flew down the pitch getting the ball to Miller who was tripped with the Barlaser free-kick finding Crooks before Luke Berry scrambling the ball away for a corner. In time added on Matty Pearson twisted and turned getting a shot away which went just wide of the upright leaving in goalless going in at half-time.

The Hatters started the second half with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu coming on for Joe Morrell. A long free-kick for the hosts saw Dan Barlaser find Michael Smith but again the Millers striker headed straight into the arms of Simon Sluga which was followed by a fantastic run by Ben Wiles who sent the ball to Jamie Lindsay but he was thwarted by the Luton defence. At the other end the visitors came close when a dangerous cross from George Moncur went across the face of goal where James Collins couldn’t quite get to it to shoot home. Michael Ihiekwe had to be on his mettle when a good ball in found Harry Cornick who stabbed the ball towards an open goal with the Millers skipper clearing off the line. Just before the hour mark a change for the Millers saw George Hirst replace Michael Smith. Luke Berry was the next player for Luton to have a shot which was deflected inches wide by Angus MacDonald for a corner. Blackman did well minutes later when he did well to punch away under pressure from a Moncur cross. On the sixty-fourth minutes Luton brought on Kazenda LuaLua for Harry Cornick. Good running from Flo Jozefzoon saw him find Hirst who in turn found Dan Barlaser but his shot was blocked. After a lot of pressure the visitors took the lead with twenty minutes to go when Mickel Miller fouled LuaLua with the Berry free-kick going behind the Millers defence finding Collins who volleyed past Blackman into the net. And a couple of minutes later it might have been two when Mpanzu sent Moncur on his way only for the midfielder to try to chip Blackman but saw the ball fall neatly into the Millers’ ‘keepers hands. Berry was the next to come close when he got the better of Wiles only to see his shot hit the post and go to safety. Mickel Miller was the first to get a yellow for a foul on Pearson followed by Rotherham’s last change seeing Freddie Ladapo come on for Flo Jozefzoon with the striker straight into the action cutting back a good ball for Barlaser who shot over which was followed minutes later by a super ball in from Wiles to Hirst who fired wide from distance. More good work from Wiles saw his find Crooks who headed wide before Town’s last substitution saw George Moncur make way for Tom Lockyer. A minute into time added on Luke Berry was booked for time wasting and despite a bit of pressure the Millers failed to find an equaliser.

Another loss at home when again we had chances to have been in front in the first half saw the Millers looked rattled when we went one down and seemed to take a while to get back into the game and when we did Luton did a good job at the back.

Not long to dwell on tonight’s result with Preston North End, who whopped Reading, at Reading, this evening, coming to the New York Stadium on Saturday.