Millers beat Dale

After a goalless first half Rotherham United turned up the pressure and came away from Spotland with all three points this afternoon.

The first half saw little goalmouth action with the home side having the first shot after fifteen minutes when a number of Millers defenders got in the way of Mark Jones’ shot at goal. A few minutes later, Joe Thompson had a shot that was easily blocked by Nick Fenton before Adam Le Fondre sent a shot well wide of the upright. On the half-hour mark, Drewe Broughton had to have a quick repair job done to his head, after a collision which surprisingly went Dale’s way, and before he was allowed back on the field, referee Mr Russell, sent him to change his shirt. Broughton was eventually allowed back on only to have to go off again for stitches from which he never re-appeared on the pitch and Mark Burchill took his place. Six minutes before the end of the half, a Jamie Green cross found Ryan Taylor in the area but home ‘keeper, Frank Fielding managed to parry the strikers shot to safety.

The visitors came out full of confidence for the second half and in the first few minutes Fielding had to bring off a good save from Burchill. The Millers went ahead in the fiftieth minute when a Dale Tonge free kick found Reuben Reid who brought the ball under control, turned and hit the ball into the corner of the net. Rotherham doubled their lead nineteen minutes later when Taylor brought the ball down on the right, cut inside Tom Kennedy and unleased a curling shot, from twenty yards out, that went beyond Fielding’s fingertips and into the net. Burchill had a shot that flew over the bar and Fielding had to make a block from Reid before Mark Hudson and Burchill played a one-two but Hudson saw his shot go over the bar. On the seventy-fifth minute, the usually reliable Nick Fenton’s cleared ball only found Nicky Adams, on for Rundle, who’s crossed ball found Le Fondre and he headed the ball past Warrington and into the net. The Millers should have made the points safe when Nathen Stanton upended Taylor and the visitors were given a penalty. Up stepped Reid but his shot smashed against the crossbar and the rebound was headed in by the penalty taker but a linesman’s flag went up for a push by Reid. The final ten minutes were nail biting as the home side pushed for an equaliser but thankfully, and to the delight of the travelling fans, Rotherham held on for the deserved three points.

The Millers played like a team today and both goals were crackers!