Double From Hugill To Get Trophy Win

Rotherham United 2-0 Mansfield Town
Hugill (3, 54)


The Millers gave a debut to Zak Jules after suffering an injury in pre-season with Mallik Wilkes started his first game since joining on loan last week while Mansfield had former Miller Stephen Quinn starting and his nephew Ben.

Rotherham got off to the best start on three minutes when a superb cross from Alex MacDonald found Jordan Hugill one-on-one with Scott Flinders in the Stags goal, the Millers captain for the night, clipping the ball over Flinders and into the net to give the hosts the lead. A free-kick at the other end for the visitors was taken by Aaron Lewis but went out for a Millers goal-kick. A ball up front for Mansfield was well marshalled by Shaun McWilliams before finding its way back to Millers’ ‘keeper Callum Dawson. Some nice work from the visitors saw a ball into the box come to nothing the Millers getting it away but only as far as another yellow shirt which was sent into a crowded area by Lewis hitting the foot of Ben Quinn and going behind. The Stags were on the front foot but again Ben Quinn couldn’t get it from under his feet before a long ball forward by Dawson meant for the Rotherham front men was taken up by the visitors and sent back down the other end, the game stopping for an injury to Callum MacDonald who got a free-kick. Stephen Quinn took the set-piece putting it into the box only finding Hugill who put it out for a corner which was taken short before going backwards. Lee Gregory won a free-kick after being pushed over by Jules. The kick taken coming out to Hiram Boateng on the edge of the area who won a corner which was cleared by the Millers defence. A good run from Alex MacDonald found Mallik Wilks who got past his marker putting the ball into the area but there wasn’t a red shirt there to collect. Sean McWilliams won a free-kick which Alex MacDonald took putting it into the box but Town cleared. On twenty-five minutes some lovely play from the visitors saw the ball find Lewis who saw his shot from outside the box come back off the post followed by the Stags players putting pressure on the Rotherham defence and only some last ditched defending from Jules stopped them scoring. On the half-hour mark Hugill won a free-kick on the edge of the area which saw Alex MacDonald find Jules who won a corner followed by another corner for the hosts which was punched away by Flinders. Hugill had another chance inside the area but his touch wasn’t the best before some good defending by Alex MacDonald saw the ball go down the other end with Wilks but he couldn’t get it to a red shirt. Hugill won a free-kick which Alex MacDonald sent long into the box the ball coming out to Cohen Bramall who saw Flinders get the ball sending it up the pitch with Bramall doing well to get back to clear. Nice ball from Ben Hatton saw the Millers win a corner which was dropped by the ‘keeper but Hatton couldn’t control it and Mansfield went up field. Wilks was brought down just outside the box which earned Stephen McLaughlin a yellow card – which arguably could have been red as it looked like Wilks was the last man. Bramall took the resulting free-kick hitting the wall and Will Evans with force the Town player going down. As the half came to an end a lovely ball into the area found Wilks in a good position but he couldn’t quite control it and it went out as the whistle went for half-time.

Changes for the visitors saw Lee Gregory, Stephen Quinn and Will Evans replaced by Lucas Aikins, Keanu Baccus and Davis Keillor-Dunn. The Millers nearly started the second half as they had the first with Esapa Osong setting up Mallik Wilks but the loanee put the ball high and wide from just outside the box. Zak Jules had to be on his mettle a few minutes later to stop the ball into the area finding a yellow shirted player before a foul on Baccus earned Cohen Bramall a yellow card. Some nice football from Ben Hatton saw him beat his man and swing the ball into the area before it was headed away but only as far as Wilks who shot over the crossbar. On fifty-three minutes a nice ball from Wilks found Reece James who put it on the toe of Hugill who doubled his and the Millers lead. At the other end a ball in from Baccus found Aaran Lewis who brought off a great save from Cameron Dawson. On the hour mark some good defending from Rotherham left them luckily not giving away a penalty when Alex MacDonald appeared to hit the ball down with his hand the referee seemingly too far away to notice (but what was the linesman doing?) Changes for the Millers saw Jack Holmes and Joe Powell take over from Ben Hatton and Mallik Wilks. Some good football from the Stags saw a ball into the area find the head of Lucas Aikins but he couldn’t control it and it went wide. On seventy minutes Rotherham went down to ten men after a poor challenge by Alex MacDonald on Hiram Boateng saw his get a straight red card. This was followed by two more substitutions for the visitors one being former Miller Jordan Bowery for Elliott Hewit and Deji Oshilaja for Stephen McLaughlin. Powell was the next to make it into the referees book after a foul on Ben Quinn the resulting free-kick being well defended by the hosts. Dawson had to be sure and put out a shot from Boateng for a corner which the Millers’ ‘keeper punched away. Sam Nombe was the next Miller to take the pitch coming on for Esapa Osong. Some good work from Hugill just on the outside of the box saw him send it back to Nombe who sent the ball in which was easy for Scott Flinders to get down to at the other end Boateng tried his luck from about twenty yards out which Dawson did well to keep hold of before a header from Ben Quinn brought off a fingertip save from the Rotherham ‘keeper. After treatment on the pitch Shaun McWilliams limped off leaving the Millers temporarily down to nine men before Hakeem Odoffin took over from the bench with Jamie McCart coming on for Jordan Hugill. Mansfield thought they should have had a penalty in the last minute of the game when it looked like the ball hit McCart on the arm. A minute later Ben Quinn shot through a host of bodies but saw the ball go inches past the upright. In time added on a good turn of pace by Holmes saw him bundled over by Callum MacDonald who received a yellow card. Another shot from the visitors was sent in by Boateng but missed before Dawson did well to palm another shot from outside the box from Boateng away for a corner which was headed away before Oshilaja had a shot from close in which Dawson saved.

The Millers knew they’d been in a game this evening with time after time Mansfield going forward but they just couldn’t score while Rotherham scored from both their shots on goal. A win and a clean sheet – can’t ask much more than that really.

Attendance – 2,265 with 698 Stags in the stands

Referee – Scott Jackson