Rotherham United 1 Newcastle United 1
Smith (9) Hendrick (84)
Rotherham United’s first pre-season game of the summer at the New York Stadium ended in a draw against an experienced Newcastle United side this evening after Michael Smith had headed them ahead on nine minutes.
The Millers started well with Chieo Ogbene causing the Premier League side some problems twice getting into good positions to put balls into the area unfortunately nothing came from them. At the other end Michael Ihiekwe did well to get to a shot from Dwight Gayle and clear the ball away. On nine minutes a super cross into the box found the head of Michael Smith who put the ball into the net giving the hosts the lead. Minutes later Jamie Lindsay won the ball back off Jamal Lewis sending the ball to former Magpie Dan Barlaser who was tripped with the free-kick coming to nothing. Ogbene first won a free-kick which Mikel Miller took finding Smith but his effort went wide before he won a corner which was well claimed by Freddie Woodman in the Newcastle goal. Rotherham came close to doubling their lead on twenty-four minutes when a hard shot from Freddie Ladapo was blocked but only falling as far as Ben Wiles who saw Lewis clear. And it was Wiles again a couple of minutes later who twisted his way past Isaac Hayden sending the ball to Smith whose shot hit a defender and went out for a corner which Barlaser took and Woodman punched away. With ten minutes of the half to go the Magpies got into the game and won a free-kick in a good area which Ryan Fraser took short to Sean Longstaff who put the ball over the crossbar. A couple of minutes later Sean Longstaff received a good ball which again he put over the bar before Callum Wilson got himself into the area only to see his shot go just wide.
Steve Bruce made four changes for the start of the second-half with Ryan Fraser, Jamaal Lascelles, Ciaran Clark and Freddie Woodman making way for Jacob Murphy, Paul Dummett, Kell Watts and Mark Gillespie. In the opening minute of the half Millers’ ‘keeper Viktor Johansson made a great save stopping Dwight Gayle from equalising and minutes later Johansson raced out of his goal to stop a cross from Federico Fernandez finding Murphy. The visitors won a free-kick which Matt Richie took finding Fernandez at the back post who headed towards goal with Johansson again stopping the Magpies equalising with a point-blank save – this was followed by an off-side flag but let’s not take anything away from the Rotherham shot-stopper. Gayle came close when he eased his way by a couple of defenders before seeing his shot go inches wide. On the hour mark Rotherham made a change a A Trialist taking over from Ben Wiles while minutes later the visitors brought on Fabian Schar and Emil Krafth for Matt Richie and Federico Fernandez. With twenty minutes to go Paul Warne made four changes Richard Wood, Chieo Ogbene, Mikkel Miller and Freddie Ladapo being replaced by Jake Hull, Kieran Sadlier, Jacob Gratton and Joshua Kayode while Newcastle brought on Jeff Hendrick and Matty Longstaff for Callum Wilson and Isaac Hayden followed a few minutes later by Dwight Gayle making way for Joe White who is making his debut. In between the Newcastle changes a Wes Harding cross found the head of Smith who sent the ball down for Kayode who won a corner with a Newcastle head getting to it but only cleared as far as Gratton who saw his shot blocked. Murphy got past Harding but the Millers defender worked hard and cleared before a stop for more changes saw Jack Young come on for the Magpies Sean Longstaff going off and Michael Smith and Jamie Lindsay for the Millers making way for Curtis Durose and Jerome Greaves. It had probably been coming but disappointing for the hosts when Newcastle equalised with six minutes to go after a corner ball found Hendrick whose looping header went into the net. A ball in from Barlaser found Kayode but the young striker dragged his shot wide while it was Kayode a minute later who nearly got on the end of a Greaves flick but Krafth did well to get his body in the way with Woodman getting the ball.
A game of two-halves was a good work out for the Millers this evening against Premier League opposition with Smith, Ogbene and Lindsay having good games and Johansson pulling off some brilliant saves.
Attendance- 4,370 (1,488 Magpies)
TEAMS
Millers
Johansson
Harding
Ihiekwe
Wood (Hull 70)
Wiles (A Trialist 60)
Ogbene (Sadlier 70)
Barlaser
Lindsay (Durose 80)
Miller (Gratton 70)
Smith (Greaves 80)
Ladapo (Kayode 70)
Subs not used – Chapman
Magpies
Woodman (Gillispie 45)
Hayden (M Longstaff 72)
Lascelles (Dummet 45)
Fernandez (Krafth 64)
Clark (Watts 45)
Lewis
Longstaff (Young 80)
Richie (Schar 64)
Fraser (Murphy 45)
Gayle (White 77)
Wilson (Hendrick 72)
Subs not used– Langley, Bondswell
