First Half Goals Give Millers The Win

Rotherham United 2 Lincoln City 1
Wiles (11)                          Hopper (81)
Ogbene (13)


Rotherham United claimed all three points at home to Lincoln City this evening but, boy, did they make hard work of it.

There were three changes for Paul Warne’s side with Joshua Kayode, Mickel Miller and Joe Mattock getting starts while the Imps made four changes Adam Jackson, Anthony Scully, Ted Bishop and Cohen Bramall coming into the starting line-up.

The Millers were off to a flyer and a run down the wing from Chieo Ogbene saw the Millers number eleven win a corner which went straight out for another corner but referee Andy Haines blew for a foul. On the fifth minute a cross from Mickel Miller found Ben Wiles whose shot was well saved by Imps’ ‘keeper Jordan Wright Two minutes later the hosts thought they might have got a penalty after some nice work between Miller and Dan Barlaser saw the ball go into the area where Richard Wood appeared to be pushed to the ground but it was probably a big of a half-hearted appeal. But on eleven minutes Rotherham took a deserved lead after the ball was blocked then cleared by City but only as far as Ollie Rathbone who sent a super ball to Wiles who shot low seeing the ball go into the net off the upright. Two minutes later it was two after Rathbone again found Wiles who in turn found Ogbene on the edge of the box who hit the ball hard and low into the far corner of the net. It was the quarter of an hour mark before the Imps first shot at goal after Lewis Florini was allowed to speed down the pitch sending the ball to Tom Hopper who shot well wide. It was Florini a minute later who pinched the ball back in midfield and again was allowed to run with it before sending it to John Marquis who took an extra touch and shot wide. Some nice work from the home side saw the ball fall to Michael Smith who put the ball in for Kayode with Wright coming at the same time to claim it. The City ‘keeper was treated for some minutes before the stretcher was sent away and he got up and carried on. After that every time JJ went near the ball he was resoundly booed by the away fans and the incident really was a ball he had every right to go for. Dan Barlaser saw a shot well blocked before a Mattock cross found JJ who tried an overhead bicycle kick which didn’t go in. Some more lovely passing from the Millers saw Ogbene set Wiles up whose saw his shot go across the face of goal before Lincoln won a free-kick which was taken by Scully and headed into the waiting arms of Millers’ ‘keeper Josh Vickers from Adam Jackson. After an Ogbene shot was cleared by a Lincoln midfielder it fell to Rathbone who won a corner which came to nothing. At the other end Teddy Bishop saw a shot from distance go wide before Smith had an effort cleared off the line before his header went past the post. In time added on Rathbone became the first to see yellow for a foul on Bishop with the resulting free-kick was well saved by Vickers although the flag was up for offside.

Two-nil up and top of the league coming into the second half you’d have thought that Rotherham would have been showing confidence and going for a third goal. But, it was the visitors who came out the better. Tom Hopper got a yellow for a foul on Joe Mattock with the free-kick coming to nothing. A long punt up field from Josh Vickers found Michael Smith who tried his luck from just outside the box but it was no bother for Jordan Wright who watched it go over. Whenever the Millers got the ball in a good position they seemed to be hustled off it and some good counter-attacking from the Imps saw then get a couple of corners before Mattock had to be on his mettle to clear a header down from Joe Walsh off the line. A good delivery from Cohen Bramall saw Hopper unable to keep the ball down before a shot from Lewis Florini was blocked with Mickel Miller finding space down the middle sending a cross towards Smith but Wright was there first. The hosts made the first two changes with Wes Harding and Angus MacDonald on for Joshua Kayode and Dan Barlaser, who had received treatment minutes earlier. A couple of minutes later Anthony Scully made way for Liam Cullen for the Imps. Millers skipper Richard Wood went into the book for stopping a quick free-kick – and might have had another yellow for ‘not leaving it alone’ and having words with the ref – before he himself won a foul. Another change for the visitors saw Lasse Sorensen on for Teddy Bishop. A headed ball by Ogbene found Miller just outside the box whose shot was saved low by Wright followed by Rotherham’s final change seeing Hakeem Odoffin replace Ollie Rathbone. Four minutes later City punished the Millers for some sloppy defending when a lovely ball from Bramall found Hopper who slotted home to make it two-one. After hacking down Ogbene a yellow card was shown towards Joe Walsh before only a brilliant tackle from MacDonald stopped John Marquis getting through on goal. Five minutes of stoppage time saw Lincoln pushing for an equaliser with Vickers making a good save off Cullen the ball falling to Sorensen who lifted it over the crossbar.

Phew! After a really good first half from the Millers, Lincoln took over in the second half and came close to making us pay. But, we held on and keep the gap up between us and Wigan, who also won tonight, at the top of the league.

Attendance – 9,575 with 1,209 Imps making the journey

Referee – Andy Haines