Ipswich Town 0 Rotherham United 2
Crooks 11, 48
Rotherham United got their fourth away league win of the season this evening away at Ipswich Town who were top of the table going into this game.
The hosts were on the front foot from the start with Daniel Iversen in the Millers’ goal having to get into the aerobics early on parrying the ball away after a Emyr Huws shot at goal. A minute later the Ipswich fans were appealing for a penalty when Luke Garbutt went down under a challenge from Matthew Olosunde but Referee John Busby gave a goal kick. The Millers had a couple of corners that came to nothing but on eleven minutes some super work from Ben Wiles saw his shot from outside the box deflected and falling to Matt Crooks he thumped the ball towards goal and turned to celebrate as it went under home ‘keeper Tomas Holy and into the net. And it could have been two a minute later when a cross from Mattock found Olosunde running towards the back post but the former Manchester United youngster couldn’t keep the ball down and put it over the crossbar. The Millers got two quick free-kicks, the first saw Ben Wiles send the ball to long with the second being taken by Clarke who just missed the waiting head of Crooks. Although a challenge on Huws by Billy Jones could have seen the first yellow of the game it was Clarke who got the first card of the night for a meaty challenge on Kane Vincent-Young with the resulting free-kick seeing Rotherham win the ball and fly up the other end but it came to nothing. Crooks did well to get the better of Luke Chambers and win a throw-in with Richard Wood having to be alert minutes later to block a shot from Huws. The second yellow of the night saw Jones in the book for kicking the ball away before some great defending from Michael Ihiekwe stopped Kayden Jackson in his tracks before at the other end a cross from Mattock found Michael Smith whose header went over the bar.
Just three minutes into the second half Ben Wiles won the ball back from Cole Skuse before running at the Ipswich defence and slid the ball across to Matt Crooks who slotted home to make it two-nil to the visitors. The hosts got two corners which came to nothing before the Millers went forward again and a ball in from Joe Mattock found the head of Michael Smith’s head who saw Tomas Holy make a brilliant save. The resulting corner eventually fell to Billy Jones whose shot from outside the ball went inches wide. The first substitution of the evening saw Anthony Georgiou replace Emyr Huws for Ipswich just before the hour mark. The hosts started to press and Michael Ihiekwe and Jamie Lindsay were kept busy with Smith helping out at the back too. Town made a double substitution with Danny Rowe and Will Keane making way for Gwion Edwards and James Norwood with the Millers fetching on Chie Ogbene for Trevor Clarke. Daniel Iversen had to come off his line and get down low to a shot from Luke Garbutt after he got through the Millers defence leaving him one-on-one with the Millers’ ‘keeper. At the other end Smith sent a super cross into the box for Ogbene who put it just over before Smith and Matt Olosunde combined to stop Ipswich getting forward. Joe Mattock saw yellow for going in behind on Edwards with the resulting free-kick not bothering anyone. Ogbene flew forward and won a corner which Wiles sent in finding Michael Ihiekwe’s head who saw the ball come back off the post. A foul on Ogbene saw Edwards get the first yellow for the home side which was followed by another Millers change seeing Crooks going off and Dan Barlaser coming on. In the final ten minutes Ihiekwe had to be on his toes to stop Ipswich getting into the box which was followed by the Millers third sub with Carlton Morris coming on for Matt Olosunde. A lovely cross from Lindsay saw Smith do well to bring the ball down but didn’t control it and the hosts went down the other end but both Morris and Barlaser stopped them in their tracks which ended with a corner which Skuse headed wide. In time added on Mattock and Wiles combined with the latter trying an ambitious shot which went wide.
After Saturday’s disappointing home defeat not only will all three points be welcome by Rotherham United but Paul Warne must be pleased with his teams performance and the clean sheet this evening at Portman Road.
Have a safe – and happy – journey home you two hundred and twenty-nine Millers.
Referee – John Busby
Crowd – 20,550 – 229 Millers
