Chances Galore For Millers Who Still Lose

Wycombe Wanderers 2 – 0 Rotherham United
Humphreys (70)
Sadlier (pen) (87)


This was very much a learning curve for Rotherham United of not taking your chances when you get them at Adams Park this afternoon.

The Millers started the better with Reece James getting a header to his ‘keeper Dillon Phillips before a Wycombe player could get to it in the opening minutes. Jordan Hugill won a free-kick in a good position which Joe Powell took looking for the Millers captain but a defender managed to clear before another foul on Hugill brought a yellow card for Josh Scowen – but should it have been a red? Many of us in the stands thought Scowan was the last man. Powell took the set-piece bringing a save from host ‘keeper Franco Ravizzoli before Shaun McWilliams saw a ball into the box cleared but only as far as Mallik Wilks whose strike was blocked with Liam Kelly picking it up and sending the ball over the crossbar. A Powell corner was cleared but Sam Nombe got it back but shot wide before a Richard Kone shot at the other end saw a good save from Phillips. Some nice football from Wilks saw him floored in the penalty area with referee Carl Brook waved away any protest giving a corner which the hosts cleared and went off on a counter attack before Jamie McCart put a stop to that. Another Rotherham corner saw Powell find Hakeem Odoffin in a great position but he headed inches past the upright before the roles were reversed and the Millers number twenty-two set up Powell whose shot from distance was well saved by Ravizzoli. A foul on Daniel Udoh brought a yellow card for McCart on twenty-three minutes with Wilks following him into the book two minutes later for a similar foul on Dan Harvie. Jack Grimmer had a chance for the hosts but dragged the ball wide worrying no-one before a superb ball from James found Hugill only for Harvie to take the ball off the Millers’ captains head and put to safety. In the final five minutes of the half a shot on the turn from Nombe saw Ravizzoli save well before a loose ball in the area saw McCart head across goal with no red shirted there to apply the finishing touch followed by Wilkes letting fly looking for the top corner but a brilliant save from the Wanderers ‘keeper saw him palm the ball away to safety leaving, somehow, the game goalless at half-time.

A change for the hosts saw  Jason McCarthy on for Jack Grimmer for the start of the second half. The Millers started this half as they finished the first with a Liam Kelly cross finding Sam Nombe who headed just past the post before the Rotherham striker laid on a good ball for Mallik Wilks who saw his shot turned onto the post by Franco Ravizzoli. Two more changes for Wycombe saw Cameron Humphreys and Aaron Morley replace Matt Butcher and Richard Kone on the fifty-second minute. Nombe and Wilks worked together well again with the latter seeing Ravizzoli get down well and turn the ball round the post for a Millers corner which came to nothing. At the other end Dillon Phillips had to be on his toes to come out of his area and head a loose ball clear before it fell to a blue shirted player. Another good effort from Wilks brought another equally good save from Ravizzoli again before a good ball found the head of Jordan Hugill who heads straight into the waiting hands of the Wycombe shot-stopper. At the other end Wycombe sub Humphreys brought off a great fingertip save from Phillips before a good stretch of play by the visitors saw Nombe and Wilks work well together to find Hakeem Odoffin who saw his shot blocked before coming back to the Millers midfielder whose high cross back into the box found Nombe at the back post who headed home sending the travelling six hundred or so wild – unfortunately the flag had already been raised for an offside so the Millers fans were still waiting for their first away goal of the season. The hosts went straight down the other end and only a good save from Phillips saw Morley fail to open the scoring but a minute later the hosts were in front after former Miller Kieran Sadlier sent a long ball in for Humphreys who twisted to give himself room and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the net. Jack Holmes came on for Shaun McWilliams with the Rotherham sub almost getting the equaliser when he shot towards goal only to see the ball hit a defender and go behind before the Millers sub set up Wilks for a shot the ball going wide. With eight minutes to go Jordan Hugill made way for Jonson Clarke-Harris before Joe Hungbo came on for Joe Powell. But things didn’t go well for the visitors when Odoffin was adjudged to have brought down Sadlier in the area and the referee pointed straight to the spot, Sadlier getting up take the penalty and making it two-nil to the hosts. Liam Kelly did well in time added on to block a Morley shot before Sadlier was replaced by Tyreeq Bakinson. The Millers won a corner which Wilks headed on to Odoffin who saw Ravizzoli save his header.

So many chances, so many misses, what have Rotherham United got to do to score an away goal? We were so comfortable going in at half-time but, once again, all you can say is ‘take your chances’.

Attendance – ???

Referee – Carl Brook