Grimsby Town 0 Rotherham United 1
Ihiekwe (84)
Rotherham United carried on their pre-season games with a first trip to Blundell Park since 2009 which saw a Michael Ihiekwe goal late in the game with the friendly for the Millers against tough opposition in Grimsby Town.
The hosts started brightly and only some good work from Millers’ captain Richard Wood stopped a ball reaching Joel Grant getting to a long ball in a good position. Chieo Ogbene won the first corner of the game which Shane Ferguson took aiming for Michael Smith who was well ushered by David Longe-King at the far post, the ball going out. Ben Wiles had a chance for the visitors but his curled shot wasn’t on target before Grimsby might have had a call for a penalty on six minutes when Joel Grant went over in the area but it wasn’t given. On ten minutes a lovely ball in from Ogbene found the head of Smith who saw James McKeown in the Grimsby goal get down well to save. Ben Fox did well to stop the Millers getting in on goal before Freddie Ladapo wormed his way into the box sending the ball to Mickel Miller before a defender put it out for a corner which Wes Harding saw his shot tipped onto the crossbar and away to safety. At the other end Viktor Johansson did very well to get down to a shot from Erico Sousa which was followed minutes later by the Rotherham ‘keeper making a magnificent save from Harry Clifton from close range. At the other end McKeown came good for the hosts again saving from Miller before another Ferguson corner flashed across the face of goal. Just after the half-hour mark Ladapo brought another save from McKeown with the ball falling to Ogbene who saw his effort come off the upright. Ogbene, Wiles and Smith combined well to get the ball into the area before it was cleared. Grimsby had another appeal for a spot-kick when Michee Efete went down under a challenge from Miller but referee Geoff Eltringham was having none of it. McKeown did well to hold onto a shot from Ferguson keeping the score line goalless at half-time.
The Millers started the second half with Kieran Sadlier on for Michael Smith. In the opening minutes of the half a pass from Michael Ihiekwe found Shane Ferguson whose shot-cum-pass went over the crossbar. After sending a ball too long for Erico Sousa John McAtee then sent a super cross for Max Wright but Viktor Johansson was alert and got there first before McAtee again sent the ball up to Sousa only for the Portugese winger to head over. And minutes later the rolls were reversed when Sousa got by his marker and sent a perfect ball for McAtee who in turn found Harry Clifton but the Welshman rather sliced his shot. On the hour mark the visitors brought on Joshua Kayode for Mickel Miller with Grimsby replaced Giles Coke with Luke Spokes. Some great work from Kayode saw him win the Millers a corner. Sousa was causing Rotherham some problems and twice won free-kicks have being pulled back. A number of changes occurred for both sides between seventy and eighty minutes John McAtee, Luke Waterfall and Erico Efete making way for Edwin Essel, Shaun Pearson and Ryan Sears, Ben Fox made way for Braithwaite and Adam Crookes, David Longe-King and Erico Sousa were replaced by Evan Khouri, Jaz Goundry and Milner. The Millers brought on Dan Barlaser and Jacob Gratton for Chieo Ogbene and Shane Ferguson then A Trialist replaced Freddie Ladapo before Richard Wood made way for Jake Hull. On eighty-three minutes Wes Harding and Sadlier did well getting the ball to Jamie Lindsay who fired over but a minute later another shot from Lindsay was pushed away by McKeown but only as far as Micheal Ihiekwe who put the Millers in front. Shortly afterwards the Grimsby ‘keeper, James McKeown, on his testimonial, made way for Ollie Battersby and in the final minute of the game A Trialist saw a shot go just wide of the post.
TEAMS
Millers
Johansson
Harding
Ihiekwe
Wood (Hull 79)
Ferguson (Gratton 70)
Ogbene (Barlaser 70)
Lindsay
Wiles
Miller (Kayode 60)
Ladapo (A Trialist 74)
Smith (Sadlier 45)
Unused Subs – Chapman, Mattock, Greenhouse, Cooper, Greaves
Mariners
McKeown (Battersby 90)
Efete (Sears 70)
Longe-King (Milner 82)
Waterfall (Pearson 70)
Crookes (Khouri 79)
Clifton (Bramall 85)
Coke (Spokes 63)
Fox (Braithwaite 74)
Sousa (Goundry 79)
Grant (Wright 46)
McAtee (Essel 70)
