First Game Back, First Point For Evans

Rotherham United 0 Birmingham City 0

Rotherham United played out a goalless draw against relegated threatened rivals Birmingham City at the New York Stadium this afternoon for Steve Evans’ first game back in charge of the Millers.

The first chance went to the visitors after they stopped a Rotherham attack the ball coming out to Oliver Burke who fed Keshi Anderson but his shot was wasteful. At the other end the Millers won a corner which Kafu took looking for the head of Jordan Hugill but Tyler Roberts got there first before Roberts was in action again minutes later after Lee Peltier sent the ball for Peter Kioso but the City midfielder was there to clear. A pass from Cafu meant for Sam Nombe saw Birmingham ‘keeper John Ruddy get there first to collect. The game was halted for a medical emergency in the Rotherham Family Stand with both sets of players taken back to the dressing rooms for twenty minutes or so while the gentleman was seen to and eventually taken to hospital – our thoughts are with him.


The game began again at 3.45pm with eleven minutes of the clock. Some good defending from Peltier stopped a ball in from Burke reaching Roberts before the Millers went down the other end with Seb Revan sending a super ball in for Nombe to head but Ruddy was there to save. Ollie Rathbone was first to a loose ball and sent in a cross-cum-shot which was saved before Millers’ ‘keeper Viktor Johansson was in action to save from Anderson after a good ball from Paik Seung-Ho found him. On twenty-six minutes the Millers a long Peltier pass found Hakeem Odoffin whose flick down found Nombe who looked to be fouled by Krystian Bielik but referee Keith Stroud wasn’t interested. Another food delivery into the box from Revan saw Hugill rise highest and brought off a save from Ruddy before Revan won a corner which was taken short finding Rathbone whose shot took a deflection for another Cafu corner which ended up behind for a goal kick. The Millers had to make an early change when Cafu couldn’t carry on after going down twice with Arvin Appiah replacing him just after the half-hour mark. And not five minutes later Peter Kioso had to go off with an injury which saw Cohen Bramall take his place. Some nice work between Appiah and Rathbone saw the latter win another corner which came out to Rathbone before being put behind for another corner which fell to Andy Rinomhota who put the ball just past the upright. As the board went up for another ten minutes (no idea where all that time came from) Ethan Laird won a free-kick for City which came to nothing as did another at the other end which Appiah won. Peltier did well to get in front of a cross from Paik before it found Jay Stansfield before a cross from Revan at the other end found Rathbone but his cross was too long as the whistle went for half-time.

The second half started with a change for Birmingham, Koji Miyoshi replacing Oliver Burke. The hosts had the first chance when Ollie Rathbone sent a cross over for Hakeem Odoffin who saw his shot blocked and City going straight down the other end with Jay Stansfield finding the substitute but Cohen Bramall was there to clear. Despite Jordan Hugill having his shirt pulled at every opportunity he was the first player in the book for a supposed foul on Lee Buchanan and Cameron Humphreys joined him a couple of minutes later after he and Stansfield tangled for the ball. Humphreys did well to get his body in the way to stop City getting in the box putting the ball out for a corner which was poorly taken. Another change for the visitors saw Juninho Bacuna on for Tyler Roberts. Appiah was stopped in his tracks by Keshi Anderson but no yellow card although he was carded some minutes later for having words with the referee once too often. Under pressure from the Millers defence John Ruddy did well to get to a ball from Revan before Sam Nombe before Anderson set off on a run crossing to Jay Stansfield who tried to set Paik up but the ball went out. A good turn from Andy Rinomhota got him away from Anderson but his ball meant for Nombe went out before some nice work from the Millers saw Nombe flick the ball on for Odoffin who couldn’t get there but referee Keith Stroud pulled it back for a foul on Nombe which Bramall sent straight into the Blues’ wall. The next player to get a yellow was Jay Stansfield, again for arguing too much, with Birmingham getting a free-kick which Stansfield found the net with but as he was celebrating a (very) late flag went up for either off-side or handball or both. As the visitors were arguing with the referee and linesman Gary Rowett took off Keshi Anderson for Siriki Dembele. A loose ball in midfield saw Arvin Appiah take up the ball and run at goal before shooting only to see John Ruddy get down to it. A change for the Millers saw Tom Eaves come on with Jordan Hugill going the other way with ten minutes to go with his first contribution seeing him booked for a foul on Ethan Laird. He was followed in the book a few minutes later by Lee Peltier who stopped Dembele in his tracks. Dembele won a corner which was cleared before Jay Stansfield made way for Scott Hogan for the Blues. Bramall had a chance as the board went up for an extra three minutes but his shot was blocked before Bielik and Miyoshi did well together the latter bringing off a point-blank save from the Millers Number One. And it might have ended differently in the last minute when a great shot from Revan was turned round the corner by Ruddy the resulting corner coming to nothing.

A point for Steve Evans in his first game back as Rotherham Manager.

Was it better? Yes. We went forward. Did the players do better? Yes, I think they did. Was the atmosphere better? Oh yes. Did we score a goal? Oh no – but we tried.

Attendance – 11,001 (2,204 Blues fans in the stadium)

Referee – Keith Stroud