First Half Goal Sees Another Loss For Millers

Crawley Town 1 – 0 Rotherham United
Swan (21)

Rotherham United dropped to eighteenth in League One after Saturday’s one-nil loss away at Crawley.

As often this season the Millers started well and Joe Hungbo had a sight of goal in the opening minute forcing a save from Town ‘keeper Jojo Wollacott. At the other end some nice passing from the hosts saw a chance for Ade Adeyemo but he sent the ball over the crossbar. A long pass from Millers’ ‘keeper Dillon Phillips found Hakeem Odoffin whose pass found the head of captain Jonson Clarke-Harris who forced a corner which Joe Powell sent in again finding his skipper who forced Wollacott into a good save. A foul on Will Swan brought a free-kick for the home side which Ronan Darcy took sending it straight into the Millers wall which cleared before a number of set-pieces for both sides came to nothing. On twenty-one minutes a nice cross from Toby Mullarkey found Swan, who had much too much space, the Town player sending the ball into the net from close range giving Phillips little chance to give Town the lead. Osong got into a good position with Clarke-Harris sending a ball in for him but Charlie Barker got to it first to clear before a Cohen Bramall cross meant for Odoffin went just over the defenders head. A corner for the hosts brought them another chance after Darcy crossed to Tola Showunmi who saw his shot go past the upright before a Darcy shot was blocked by the Millers defence. On forty-three minutes Jeremy Kelly found Max Anderson who saw his shot from outside the box saved by Phillips before the Millers went up the other end with Osong collecting a ball from Cameron Humphreys and despite having a number of red shirts around him managed a shot which Wollacott did well to get down to and keep out.

The Millers made two changes for the start of the second half Joe Hungbo and Cameron Humphreys making way for Christ Tiehi and Alex MacDonald. A poor challenge on Hakeem Odoffin brought the first yellow card of the game for Max Anderson the resulting free-kick seeing Sean Raggett flagged offside. Esapa Osong did well to get the better of Toby Mullarkey who then brought him down earning the second yellow of the game. MacDonald curled the free-kick in but the only person he found was goalkeeper Jojo Wollacott. The next booking went to Shaun McWilliams who brought down Ronan Darcy and so incensed were the Crawley bench that one of their coaching staff also received a yellow card. Just after the hour mark Rotherham brought on Jack Holmes for Shaun McWilliams while  Tyreece John-Jules replaces Tola Showunmi for Crawley. In his first action John-Jules won a free-kick which Max Anderson found John-Jules with who in turn brought off a good save from Dillon Phillips. A bit of pressure from the Millers saw them get three corners all taken by Joe Powell before Crawley eventually clear. More changes for Rotherham saw Jordan Hugill and Ciaran McGuckin replace Johnson Clarke-Harris and Esapa Osong with Ade Adeyemo making way for Benjamin Tanimu for the hosts. A MacDonald cross sent towards McGuckin saw the Irish striker not quite able to turn it towards the goal which was followed by some quick work by Holmes who sent the ball into the area which was blocked by a Crawley defender the resulting corner coming to nothing. Crawley made a triple substitution fetching on Rafiq Khaleel, Jack Roles and Gavan Holohan for Ronan Darcy, Will Swan and Panutche Camara. Showumni sent in a lovely ball for Tanimu but he fired over when it looked easier to score before a good run down the wing from Bramall saw him send a super ball into the area but neither Holmes or McGuckin could get to it – if they had it would surely have been the equaliser. Wollacott saw yellow in the final five minutes. Another chance for the hosts saw Holohan send the ball skywards over the crossbar before Holmes beat his marker putting the ball on the foot of Joe Powell who put it wide at the other end. As the board went up for an extra six minutes Sean Raggett saw yellow for a foul on Holohan. During added on time Bramall sent a cross in which was well held by Wollacott and a cross from MacDonald for McGuckin saw the young man not quite get his foot to it leaving the score at one-nil to the hosts.

Another away loss although there were chances for the Millers during the game but there is definitely nothing exciting going on on the pitch for Rotherham fans at the moment.

Another rest weekend next weekend – if only for the long suffering Millers supporters.

Referee – Matt Corlett

Attendance – 3,631