Rotherham United 1 Middlesbrough 0
Bramall (72)
Rotherham United got their first win since October this afternoon with a ‘wonder goal’ (or maybe a mis-hit pass!) from Cohen Bramall.
Leam Richardson named an unchanged starting eleven from the game three days ago at Leicester but it was the Middlesbrough team who set off strongly and on six minutes former Millers favourite Dan Barlaser was involved in a move that saw him send the perfect cross to Sam Greenwood who in turn found Isaiah Jones whose shot from inside the box was repelled by Rotherham captain Sean Morrision. Anfernee Dijksteel was then in the action sending a through ball for Jones again whose shot was saved by Rotherham ‘keeper Viktor Johansson. Minutes later Johansson found himself one-on-one with Morgan Rogers who was clearly offside the flag going up after the Millers’ shot-stopped had collected the ball and collected a kick from Morgan at the same time with the game delayed for a few minutes for Johansson to be treated. A cross from Jones meant for Rogers was cut out well by Johansson and the Swede was back in action a minute later when a cracking shot from Greenwood, who found himself free from any home defender, saw the ‘keeper get his fingertips to the ball to put it over the crossbar, the resulting corner finding the head of Greenwood who put the ball wide. On twenty-seven minutes ‘Boro should have been in front after Jones found Greenwood with a cross only for the loanee from Leeds United to see his shot rattle the crossbar and go out to safety. Minutes later Dexter Lembikisa did well to keep with Alex Bangura and get a block in when he tried to cross the ball into the area. The first chance for the hosts came on thirty-five minutes when a floated ball into the area from Ollie Rathbone was met by Jordan Hugill who chested it down before shooting wide before a long throw from Morrison came back to him before he sent it to Sam Nombe who tried to back-heel the ball towards goal but a defender got there first sending it away but only as far as Lembikisa who played a one-two with Christ Tiehi only to see his shot go into the waiting arms of ‘Boro ‘keeper Tom Glover. The Millers found some pace and went up front again only to lose the ball and the visitors make a counter-attack with Jones finding Samuel Silvera who was thwarted by Seb Revan before getting the ball back and passing to Jones who sent the ball low which was easy for Johansson. As the board went up for a further four minutes a good run from Jamie Lindsay saw him find Lembikisa who got the better of his marker to send the ball in for Nombe but Glover got above him to collect it leaving it goalless at half-time.
The Millers started the second half well and after Jamie Lindsay and Ollie Rathbone sent a few passes between them a shot from the latter saw Tom Glover do well to parry the ball away to safety. Some more good work from the hosts saw the ball find Dexter Lembikisa who got the ball caught under his feet but still managed a cross into the box which was blocked. Some nice passing football from the visitors saw them get up the other end where Alex Bangura sent the ball into the area only to find Sean Morrison on fine form to clear. Before the hour mark the Millers found themselves to be very lucky after Bangura again found his way into the box and with him looking to strike Hakeem Odoffin appeared to bundle the Sierra Leone international over with the ball going out and referee Andrew Kitchen waving away the protest from the Middlesbrough players. And minutes later Johnny Howson got himself into a good position to send a super ball through to Sam Silvera who looked sure to open the scoring but sent his shot wide. The first changes for the hosts came on the sixty-fifth minute when Dexter Lembikisa and Sam Nombe made way for Arvin Appiah and Tom Eaves. Nice work between Silvera and Morgan Rogers saw the ball fall for Greenwood to have a shot but some great defensive work by Seb Revan saw him block the ball on the line before it went to safety. And that was Sam Greenwood’s last part of the game with ‘Boro bringing on
Riley McGree in his place. With nineteen minutes of the game left Rathbone sent the ball to Cohen Bramall who looked as if he was crossing the ball, albeit from a tight angle, for Eaves in the middle of the box and was probably as surprised as us when he saw it climb over Glover and fly into the top corner of the net to give the Millers the lead. And the ‘wow’s’ from the Millers fans got louder when it was shown on the big screen. At the other end McGree got the better of Hakeem Odoffin with the Millers defender doing well to get back and block the shot . ‘Boro made two more changes fetching on Josh Coburn and Lukas Engel for Anfernee Dijksteel and Alex Bangura. Rogers did well to give McGree another shooting chance from outside the box but he saw his shot clip the upright and although it came back out to Coburn he fluffed his lines and the ball went out. With seven minutes of normal time to go Sam Clucas was introduced by Leam Richardson with Jamie Lindsay going off. It was very much time for the Millers to defend with Silvera and Coburn both wasting chances before the Millers went up the other end and Jordan Hugill saw a chance from some thirty yards out his shot being blocked. Former Miller Matt Crooks came on for the visitors with Johhny Howson going off while the Millers brought on Cafu, just back from injury, for Jordan Hugill. ‘Boro got a corner which was taken by Dan Barlaser who found Crooks (that sounds familiar) who headed just wide before Barlaser sent a free-kick into the box again finding Crooks who put the ball high over the crossbar. When the referee blew the whistle eight minutes into the original six added the Millers fans went wild. A win!
It wasn’t pretty but football can’t always be pretty. Three points are very much welcome for Rotherham United this evening as they go into the last game of the year on the same number of points as Sheffield Wednesday (sixteen) but still bottom with a worse goal difference.
We all know that losing becomes a habit so let’s hope that now winning does the same.
Attendance 11,487 with 2,404 loud ‘Boro fans in the ground
Referee – Andrew Kitchen
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