Drones, Goals, Pen And A Red Card Derby

Rotherham United 3 Sheffield Wednesday 0
Lindsay (5, 45)
Barlaser (40 pen)

Rotherham United got their first home win of the season this evening at the hands of their neighbours Sheffield Wednesday.

The game got off to a strange start when, after just five minutes, referee Jarrett Gillett took the players back into the dressing rooms after an illegal drone was spotted over the stadium – which is a first for me!

Within a minute of the re-start the Millers were in front after Freddie Ladapo worked his magic to get the ball forward with his shot ricocheting of a Wednesday player to Jamie Lindsay who jumped high and headed home. Less than a minute later it could have been one all when Jack Marriott picked up the ball and tried his luck from distance which went just wide. It was the visitors again that had the ball in the area with Kadeem Harris who hit the ball over the crossbar. A long free-kick caused more problems for the hosts when it fell to Joey Pelupessy in the area but again the visitors could only fire wide. On the quarter of an hour mark the Owls were forced into a change with Aden Flint limping off and being replaced by Liam Palmer who was the first to be booked after fetching down Mikel Miller. The resulting free-kick went straight into the waiting arms of Cameron Dawson in the Owls’ goal. The second yellow of the game went to Millers’ ‘keeper Jamal Blackman for time wasting. Blackman did well minutes later after a cross from Barry Bannan found Callum Paterson who chested the ball down for Marriott who brought off a good save from Rotherham’s shot stopper. At the other end Joe Mattock tested Dawson from a free-kick before a mix-up between Dawson and Tom Lees brought down Florian Jozefzoon resulting in Lees seeing red and Dan Barlaser scoring the resulting spot-kick. And five minutes later it was three-nil after a Barlaser shot was saved by Dawson but rebound to Lindsay who stuck the ball into the net for his second of the game. In time added on it could have been a fourth after a Barlaser cross found the head of Michael Ihiekwe but he only found Dawson waiting to claim the ball. After Ben Wiles was brought down the Millers got a free-kick taken by Lindsay but blocked before eventually finding Ladapo but his shot was too high.

Although the Millers came out dictating the second half it was the visitors who had the first chance when Fisayo Dele-Bashiru tried his luck from a tight angle seeing his shot go just over the crossbar. Jamie Lindsay then got in the way of a shot from Jack Marriott before the Millers player also stopped Barry Bannan in his tracks. The Owls brought on Josh Windass for Callum Paterson. Just past the hour mark a Dan Barlaser free-kick found the head of Richard Wood who put the ball into the net only to see the offside flag had gone up. Barlaser was the first change for the hosts with Michael Smith coming on in his place which was followed by Mickel Miller being booked for a challenge on Moses Odubajo. On seventy-two minutes Rotherham introduced former Owls player George Hirst with a straight swap for Freddie Ladapo. Odubajo then saw yellow for tripping Miller as he was looking to race into the area with the ball with Florian Jozefzoon hitting the wall with the free-kick and getting a corner which came to nothing. A shove on Odubajo by Hirst saw the Millers forward booked. On seventy-seven minutes a lovely cross in from Joe Mattock found Smith in space only for Cameron Dawson to somehow keep the ball out when it looked like the Millers player couldn’t miss. At the other end Lindsay had to be on his mettle with a great challenge on Kadeem Harris to stop him in his tracks. Dawson then did well for the visitors saving a powerful strike from Hirst which was followed by Mickel Miller making way for Shaun MacDonald. Every time the Owls went forward there was a red shirt in their way and with a couple of minutes to go Smith did well at the other end to win a corner which, unfortunately, was cleared by the visitors. In the four minutes added on the ball went from one end of the field to the other and it was the Millers who were the happiest when the referee’s whistle went to end the game.

The Millers got their first home win of the season and what a way to do it in a derby game and, just as important as the win, for me, is that clean sheet!

We’ve just got to keep it up now.

Up The Millers!