Kevin and Alf Give Millers A Win

Rotherham United made it three wins out of three on their travels this afternoon at a very wet and very windy Plainmoor, with two good finishes winning the game.

The first half was dictated by the swirling wind at Plainmoor today and it was Andy Warrington in the Millers` goal who was the busier in the first fifteen minutes. Wayne Carlisle had two shots early on for Torquay, the first was cleared by Ian Sharps and his second shot went wide of Warrington`s goal. Tyrone Thompson was the next Gull to see a shot go wide and Warrington made a comfortable save from Chris Zebroski before the home side had three consecutive corners without getting anything from them. The Millers` first shot came on twenty-five minutes from Adam Le Fondre, but he seemed to have problems getting the ball out of a puddle and his shot was easily saved by Michael Poke. Wayne Carlisle had probably the best chance of the first half seven minutes before half-time but his free kick was deflected wide by Nick Fenton while at the other end Le Fondre had a shot from around twenty yards out but it went just wide.

As the wind dropped the Millers came out for the second half the better side and a Nicky Law corner was punched away by Poke. The ball found Le Fondre but his shot went off a defender and behind and, once again, Poke managed to punch away the resulting corner. At the other end Andy Warrington first made a brilliant save from Tim Sills and then a double save from Jake Thomson, who was on for Benyon. Warrington also made a good save from Zebroski and at the other end, moments later a volley from Kevin Ellison from twenty yards out went just past the right hand post. A second penalty appeal by the Millers was turned down by Referee Andy Hall after Brogan had blasted across the area and it seemed to hit a Torquay defenders arm. With five minutes to go a header from Le Fondre was stopped by Poke`s feet but, with four or five Millers waiting to put it in, Kevin Ellison got there first and smashed it into the net for his seventh goal of the season. Straight away at the other end Torquay got a free kick and Carlisle kicked it against the bar which seemed to rattle for some minutes afterwards. In the final minute of time added on Le Fondre got his twelfth goal of the season to give the Millers all three points.

Well worth the long journey to get three points and stay fourth in the league but, from the texts and calls I’ve been having back in Rotherham, Torquay can think themselves a little unlucky.