Match Reports

First Half Goals Enough For Millers Win

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Rotherham United 4 Reading 0
Wood 7
Washington 15
Lindsay 18
Ogbene 45+2


Rotherham United ran amok in the first half of today’s home game against Reading scoring four goals before the half-time whistle.

In the heat at the New York Stadium only a good headed clearance from Tom Holmes stopped a great ball from Chieo Ogbene reach Conor Washington in a good position in the opening minutes. Shane Long won a fortuitous free-kick minutes later which came to nothing followed by a long pass from Millers’ ‘keeper Viktor Johansson looking for Washington with Nesta Guinness-Walker putting it out for a corner which the visitors cleared. On seven minutes a forward ball from Wes Harding saw Washington crowded out but it fell to Dan Barlaser who in turn found Ben Wiles, the midfielder sending a lovely ball into the area for Richard Wood to head down into the back of the net to give the hosts the lead. A Reading corner was sent in by Junior Hoilett finding Holmes who saw Johansson save sending the ball back to Hoilett who himself brought off another good save from the Rotherham ‘keeper. On the quarter of an hour mark some good work from Barlaser had the Reading defence in all sorts of trouble and when the ball found Washington he was in space to run and from a tight angle sent the ball into the net for a spectacular goal. A minute later Ogbene twisted his way past his marker sending the ball to the head of Washington who sent the ball agonisingly inches over the crossbar. But on eighteen minutes it was three-nil after a Barlaser pass found Jamie Lindsay whose effort from just outside the box wasn’t the best but somehow got the better of Joe Lumley in the Reading goal the ball going underneath him for the third. When a Barlaser free-kick found Wood he came close to getting his second and the Millers fourth before a water break was signalled. Reading had a couple of chances with Tom Ince and Guinness-Walker involved in both of them before Guinness-Walker’s frustration came out when Ogbene got the ball over him and was brought down for his trouble. Lindsay and Harding shared the ball before it found Cameron Humphreys who saw his shot deflect behind for a corner. A cross from Andy Yiadom found Ince who curled a shot straight into the waiting arms of Johansson followed by Guinness-Walker having a shot that went inches wide. Tyrese Fornah got past two Millers midfielders sending a good ball through for Yiadom whose shot was pushed to safety by Johansson. In the second minute of three added on the Millers struck again when a superb pass from Barlaser sent Ogbene on a run and seeing Lumley come off his line he lobbed the ‘keeper collected the ball again and shot to make it four-nil at the break to the hosts.

Reading actually came out well for the second half with Nesta Guinness-Walker getting the better of Grant Hall who brought him down on the edge of the area with Junior Hoilett sending the set-piece way over the cross bar. Richard Wood was on hand to foil a Tom Holmes cross finding Shane Long before Andy Yiadom was booked for a poor challenge on Conor Washington. A good run from Ben Wiles ended with his crossing the ball into the area hitting a Reading player who came close to scoring an own goal with the resulting Dan Barlaser corner being headed over by Wood. Cometh the hour mark cometh three Rotherham changes with Dan Barlaser, Conor Washington and Jamie Lindsay making way for Scott High, Georgie Kelly and Ollie Rathbone. Another water break was followed by Lee Peltier coming on for Grant Hall. After a good run from Ogbene the ball was headed on from Kelly finding Wiles who saw his shot blocked which was followed by another Rotherham change Shane Ferguson making way for Cohen Bramall while Reading brought on Mamadi Camara for Jeff Hendrick. And it was the Royals sub who brought off a good save from Viktor Johansson minutes after coming on. A good tackle from Bramall stopped Camara getting a shot away before the Millers man took a corner at the other end which was inches away from finding the head of Peltier. Wes Harding had to be alert to clear a Tom Ince free-kick before a super shot from Hoilett took a deflection forcing Johansson into a good save. A Yiadom cross found Long in the box but he used his hand to try to get it in the net and was promptly booked which was followed by Junior Hoilett coming off for Kelvin Ehibhationham . In the added on three minutes at the end the Royals got a free-kick which found Tom McIntyre but was blocked to see the Millers keep a clean sheet and take all three points.

Well, we couldn’t have asked for much more in the sunshine at the New York Stadium this afternoon – four goals can never be sniffed at and a clean sheet to boot. Some nice football today too, some cracking goals as well as a couple of ‘keeper errors to help the fans in the stands roar their team to victory.

Referee – Steve Martin

Attendance – 9,263 – 637 from Reading

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