Wycombe Wanderers 0 Rotherham United 0
This game had a lot of hype about it before it kicked-off but I think most of us were glad to see the end which probably saw the ball in the air more than on the ground and was stop-start throughout the ninety minutes.
The hosts had the first chance when the Millers defence seemed to go missing with Rotherham ‘keeper Josh Vickers pushing the ball behind for a corner which came curling in finding Sam Vokes who headed over the crossbar. Michael Smith, making his two hundredth appearance in a Rotherham shirt, sent a looping cross into the box with Chieo Ogbene jumping to head it towards goal but it was easy for Wycombe ‘keeper David Stockdale to catch. Both Angus MacDonald and Dan Barlaser tried to get balls to Smith in the box with both going through for Stockdale. A cross from Ogbene found Wes Harding who flew down the pitch winning the first Millers corner of the game. Shane Ferguson took the set-piece with a defender sending it out of danger which eventually went for a throw-in MacDonald sending it into the box with first Dan Barlaser trying his luck then a shot from Ben Wiles came back out to Ollie Rathbone before being finally cleared. Harding did well to get the ball to Ogbene who sent it to Smith but his shot was easily saved by Stockdale. At the other end a cross from Anis Mehmeti was sent behind for a corner by MacDonald with the ball finding it’s way back to Mehmeti at the edge of the box his shot hitting Wiles as the flag went up for offside. Some lovely work from Rathbone set the Millers off on a counter-attack the ball going to Wiles who sent it to Harding his shot looking like it would be going into the net before a Wycombe defender deflected it away. Richard Wood appeared to be pushed to the ground but instead of the decision going the Millers skippers way referee Craig Hicks gave Wycombe a free-kick for handball with the set-piece not troubling Vickers. Wood did well to get to a cross-come-shot from Garath McCleary and clear before he was in action down the other end when a corner came in eventually falling to Wood who was in acres of space but miscontrolled the ball and it got away from him. Minutes later Wiles got into the area and held up the ball before sending a good ball in for Smith who again saw his shot blocked before a Barlaser free-kick saw the Millers striker climb highest with his powerful header fetching a fingertip save from former Miller Stockdale the resulting corner coming in from Ferguson before eventually going out for a goal kick. A cross went in for Wycombe and was headed down for Vokes who looped it just over the bar. After a lot of stop-starting in the half the board went up for five extra minutes. McCleary did well to get the ball but MacDonald put him off before Rathbone tried to get the ball to Ferguson but the cross was blocked. A Joe Jacobson cross found Vokes, probably off a defenders head, who seemed to scuff his shot a little with Vickers making the angle tight he put the ball wide.
The second half started with former Miller Lewis Wing appealing for a penalty which nobody but him was interested in. Anis Mehmeti did well to get in behind the Rotherham defence and only some good work from Angus MacDonald stopped him getting into a one-on-one position with Josh Vickers. Again Mehmeti easily got into the Millers box trying to bring another Wanderers player into play but Vickers was there to stop that. A forced change for the visitors on the hour mark saw Mickel Miller come on for Shane Ferguson after he received treatment on the pitch. Rotherham won a couple of throw-ins one of them finding Chieo Ogbene who tried to send Miller on his way but when Jason McCarthy and Michael Ihiekwe collided play was stopped after the Wycombe player went down and needed treatment which was another long stoppage which the game really didn’t need. Mehmeti stirred a bit of enthusiasm getting into a decent position to have a shot at goal but Vickers watched it go past the post. At the other end some nice work from Miller saw him cross to Michael Smith who couldn’t get a decent shot at it. Wycombe made a change with Brandon Hanlan replacing Anis Mehmeti. The first yellow of the afternoon went to Rotherham’s Ollie Rathbone for a foul on Josh Scowen which was followed by another change for the hosts seeing Sam Vokes replaced by Adebayo Akinfenwa. Wycombe went close with a header from Anthony Stewart from a free-kick went into the side netting. A second yellow of the afternoon went to Michael Ihiekwe after a late challenge on Garath McCleary. A good save from Vickers saw the ball fall to Wing on the edge of the area but he smashed it wide before another change for the Millers saw Joe Mattock on for Wes Harding. Ihiekwe did well to stop a cross from McCleary doing any damage. Wiles got away from Stewart who brought him down on the edge of the area with a yellow card shown to the Wycombe player. Mattock took the free-kick and it flew miles over the crossbar – which about sums this game up. In time added on had Akinfenwa moved a bit quicker he might have won the game for the hosts when Daryl Horgan sent a low ball in but the game ended goalless which was about what it deserved.
Not the most exciting game you’ll ever see and definitely not one for the memory banks with both teams looking like a point would suffice from the start of the first minute. But surely the Millers will be the happier of the two getting a point away from home.
Attendance – 5,742 with 988 Millers in the crowd
Referee – Craig Hicks
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