Shrewsbury Town 0 Rotherham United 4
Crooks (2), Vassell (3), Ladapo (45), Wood (84)
Rotherham United couldn’t have got off to a better start in this Cup game at the Montgomery Waters Meadow Stadium this evening going two up in three minutes courtesy of goals from Matt Crooks and Kyle Vassell. The game was then held up for a few minutes because of head injuries to Luke Waterfall and Carlton Morris both being replaced by Aaron Pierre for the hosts and Michael Smith for the Millers. A Dan Barlaser corner on eleven minutes found the head of Michael Ihiekwe who put the ball just wide before an identical corner twelve minutes later again found Ihiekwe who again saw his header go just wide. A rare foray up front by the hosts saw a powerful Brad Walker strike well blocked and put to safety by skipper Richard Wood and minutes later Clark Robertson had to be alert to keep out a Ryan Barnett shot before some good work from the Shrews saw the ball go across the face of goal with no blue shirt there to put it away. On the stroke of half-time the Millers went further ahead after a super cross from Matt Olosunde found Smith whose header found Freddie Ladapo who in turn headed home from close range giving the visitors a three-nil lead at half-time.
Shrewsbury started the second half with Shaun Whalley on for Scott Goldbourne. The Millers had two early corner which came to nothing but on the fifty-third minute Freddie Ladapo twirled and whirled by three home defenders and brought off a good save from Shrews’ ‘keeper Joe Murphy. At the other end Clark Robertson did well to clear a shot from distance from Brad Walker which was followed by James Rowland going it alone but shot straight at Lewis Price in the Millers’ goal who did well to hold onto it. Just after the hour mark Michael Smith found himself through on goal but some good goalkeeping from Murphy stopped him in his tracks. Paul Warne made his second substitution of the night bringing on Shaun MacDonald for Freddie Ladapo. Shrewsbury had a good shout for a penalty after substitute Whalley got the better of Matt Olosunde who then appears to clatter into him in the area but referee Anthony Backhouse shook his head. At the other end Olosunde sends a good ball to Kyle Vassell who tries his luck from eighteen yards out only to see the ball deflected into the waiting arms of Murphy. Ethan Ebanks-Landell got into a good position and might have been better shooting but instead passed it to Luke McCormick who saw his shot blocked. The third Millers substitution saw Ben Wiles replaced by Jamie Lindsay while the hosts brought on Ryan John Giles for Steve Morison. Lindsay had a half-hearted shot at goal three minutes after coming on but the Millers did go four up with six minutes to go when a Dan Barlaser corner fell to him and he shot in from twelve yards out (likes scoring against Shrewsbury does Woody!) The hosts had a chance in the final minute of the game when Fejiri Okenabirhie strides forward and fires in a low shot which Price manages to block to keep a clean sheet.
So the Millers go into the hat for a tie in the second round of the Carabao Cup – with a win that can only bring confidence to the Rotherham lads and fans.
My Man Of The Match – Kyle Vassell.
Shrewsbury Town – Joe Murphy, Omar Beckles, Luke Waterfall (Pierre 6), Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Scott Goldbourne (Whalley 45), Ryan Barnet, Brad Walker, Luke McCormick, James Rowland, Fejiri Okenabirhie, Steve Morison (Giles 74)
Subs – O’Leary, Vincelot, Giles, Love, Pierre, Taylor, Whalley
Rotherham United – Lewis Price, Richard Wood, Kyle Vassell, Ben Wiles (Lindsay 76), Freddie Ladapo (MacDOnald 64), Dan Barlaser, Carlton Morris (Smirh 6), Clark Robertson, Matt Crooks, Michael Ihiekwe, Matt Olosunde
Subs – Iversen, Mattock, Southern-Cooper, Lindsay, MacDonald, Smith, Proctor
Attendance – 2,830 (164 Millers)
Referee – Anthony Backhouse
