Parkgate 2 Rotherham United 4
Tracey (48) Bola (19)
Rippon (68) Kelly (36)
Ayres (77)
Washington (88)
Rotherham United got a win in their first pre-season friendly getting four of the six goals scored at Roundwood this evening.
The Millers got the show on the road and in the opening minutes Hakeem Odoffin looked to find Georgie Kelly’s head but Jordan Greaves in the home goal was quick to come out and claim. Curtis Durose had a shot blocked followed by a header which was easy for Greaves to catch before new signing Peter Kioso sped past his marker sending the ball to Ciaran McGuckin who saw his shot blocked. On ten minutes Greaves did well to hold onto a shot from Mackenzie Warne before the home side had their first chance with Brandon Bagley’s curling shot bringing off a good save from Millers’ ‘keeper Viktor Johansson. At the other end McGuckin had a good try which Greaves was equal too before a ball in from Dan Barlaser found Richard Wood who saw his header come back off the crossbar but only as far as Tolaji Bola who calmly put the visitors in front. Some nice football from Warne saw him shoot from distance the ball always climbing before the same player sent a great cross in for Kelly but the Irishman couldn’t control and the ball was taken away from him. Rotherham came close to doubling the score on the half-hour mark when a superb cross from Durose was meant for McGuckin but the ball was taken away from him by the hosts. But minutes later the Millers did make it two after a Barlaser corner made it’s way to Kioso who in turn found Kelly alone on the back post and saw him get his second goal in a Rotherham shirt! As the half came to an end Odoffin and Kioso worked well together before Kioso saw a shot blocked.
Rotherham First Half Team
Viktor Johansson
Hakeem Odoffin
Richard Wood
Will Jenkinson
Peter Kioso
Dan Barlaser
Mackenzie Warne
Curtis Durose
Tolaji Bola
Ciaran McGuckin
Georgie Kelly
Parkgate 0-2 Rotherham
The Millers started the second half with just two players remaining from the first – Ciaran McGuckin and Mackenzie Warne (both who had had a good forty-five minutes) while Parkgate made four changes.. And it was the Steelman who scored when Freddy Tracey found himself in front of goal to tap the ball in the net to make it two-one just three minutes into the half. And it might have been two-two minutes later if James Stafford hadn’t headed wide. A Shane Ferguson corner for the visitors saw Jake Hull get above everyone else but couldn’t head the ball in. The visitors made two changes fetching on Josh Ayres and Hamish Douglas for McGuckin and Warne which was followed by the Millers winning a free-kick taken by Ferguson finding Wes Harding who put his header just over. The hosts had to be on their toes minutes later when a Ferguson corner found Hull who saw his shot cleared. A pass from Douglas saw Conor Washington flagged off-side followed by a good cross from Ferguson which skimmed across the pitch a bit too quickly for Champion. Parkgate made a change which saw captain Elliott Simpson make way for Jake Ellam. And minutes later the Steelmen were level after the Millers failed to get the ball clear it eventually fell to Alex Rippon who saw his shot deflect past Josh Chapman into the goal. At the other end Ayres had a shot cleared off the line before Jamie McCart headed over from a Ferguson corner. Parkgate brought back Max Rhodes and Aiden Salmons for Freddy Tracey and Alister Haydock. On seventy-seven minutes a super ball into the box from Ferguson saw Ayres dive to head in to make it three-two to the visitors. Another couple of changes for the Steelmen saw Brandon Bagley and James Stafford make way for Haydn Ward and Cole Edwards. Ferguson twice supplied balls for Washington the first saw his header go inches wide followed by a curled shot that ended the same way. With two minutes to go the Millers went four-two up with Ferguson crossing the ball for Ollie Rathbone who in turn sent Washington on his way to score his first goal for the Millers.
Parkgate 2-4 Rotherham
TEAMS
Parkgate
Jordan Greaves
Luke Morris
Aiden Salmons (Staniland 45)
Hadyn Ward (Whittaker 45)
James Stafford (Ward 78)
Cole Edwards (Bancroft 45)
Elliott Simpson (Ellam 64)
Alister Haydock (Salmons 75)
Freddy Tracey (Rhodes 75)
Max Rhodes (Rippon 45)
Brandon Bagley. (Edwards 78)
Subss – Jack Bancroft, Jake Ellam, Alex Rippon, Tom Staniland, Tim Whittaker
Rotherham Second Half Team
Josh Chapman
Wes Harding
Jake Hull
Jamie McCart
Ciaran McGuckin (Josh Ayres)
Jamie Lindsay,
Mackenzie Warne (Hamish Douglas)
Shane Ferguson
Ollie Rathbone
Jake Champion
Conor Washington
A good workout for the Millers this evening with Parkgate playing their part and fetching it back to two-two before Rotherham’s experience showed and they won the game.
And now they’re off to a training camp in Croatia. Enjoy lads!
