Millers Come Home Empty Handed From Bournemouth

Bournemouth 1 Rotherham United 0
Billing (23)

An early goal in the first half at a windy Vitality Stadium was enough to give Bournemouth all three points against Rotherham this evening.

After some fine pressing from Rotherham they got the first free-kick off the evening which Dan Barlaser sent up to Clark Robertson but the whistle went for a foul. A rare mistake from Matthew Olosunde let Arnaut Danjuma in who raced in on goal with the Millers relieved to see the flag go up for off-side. The first corner of the game went to the Millers on six minutes which Barlaser took low finding Matt Crooks outside the box but he mis-kicked and the hosts got the ball to safety. A Diego Rico free-kick at the other end went out for a corner which was hit well into the box with the Millers defence getting the ball away. A good corner from Lewis Wing saw Bournemouth ‘keeper Asmir Begovic command his area fisting the ball away to safety before more nice play from Wing saw him get the ball into the area but it was just too far for Olosunde to get on the end of. At the other end Millers’ ‘keeper Viktor Johansson fell on the ball after a shot from Danjuma and minutes later it was Danjuma again who got the better of the Millers defence seeing his shot end up in the side netting. Some good hassling from Michael Smith saw him win the ball from a Bournemouth throw-in with the Rotherham striker trying his luck from distance but the ball hit one of the three Bournemouth players around him and although he won it back the hosts finally got the ball away. A Johansson long kick flew into the other box with Begovic coming out amongst a host of players to punch away eventually winning a goal-kick. On the twenty-second minutes the Cherries took the lead after Rotherham tried to get the ball forward but the hosts counter-attacked and a great ball in from Adam Smith found Philip Billing who calmly took a second touch and hit the ball into the back of the net. A long throw from Wes Harding was headed clear before falling to Wing whose shot at goal was hastily cleared before a poor back-pass from Barlaser sent Johansson scurrying and after a risky challenge with Sam Surridge the Millers ‘keeper got the ball away. Crooks was the next visitor to try his luck when the ball came to him in the box from Michael Smith but, from a tight angle, he could only hit the side netting. After Wing did well to get the ball and send Olosunde on his way the Millers player won a free-kick which Barlaser sent into the box and with the Bournemouth defence all at sea it found Michael Ihiekwe who in turn sent it to Richard Wood and from a yard out he missed when it looked easier to score. As the board went up for two further minutes a great ball from Smith found Crooks who flew into the box sending the ball towards Ben Wiles but Lloyd Kelly got there first and cleared.

Bournemouth came out the quicker for the second half without actually worrying the Rotherham defenders and it was the Millers’ ‘keeper Viktor Johansson who won the first free-kick of the half after Sam Surridge stopped him from acting quickly to get the ball down the pitch. A good pass from Lewis Wing was stopped by Cameron Carter-Vickers before it reached Matt Crooks. It was Crooks minutes later who got the better of three defenders in the box with Asmir Begovic bringing off a good save but the flag was already up for off-side. The first booking of the evening went to Ben Wiles which, looking back at it, was a pretty harsh decision on the ref’s part after Jefferson Lermar went down. The first change of the evening was for Bournemouth who brought on David Brooks for Arnaut Danjuma. Philip Billing was denied a second with a great block from Richard Wood with the Bournemouth players appealing for a handball which the referee took no notice off. At the other end some good work from the Millers saw Ben Wiles take the ball on his chest and let fly from just inside the box bringing off a wonderful save from Begovic with the Cherries goalie having to be alert from the following Millers corner to put it over for another corner which came to nothing. Rotherham’s first change saw Florian Jozefzoon on for Dan Barlaser with a trip on Adam Smith brought a yellow card for Wes Harding with Michael Smith also getting a yellow minutes later. A triple change for the Millers saw George Hirst, Freddie Ladapo and Ryan Giles replace Michael Smith, Lewis Wing and Matt Olosunde. And Ladapo nearly made an impact straight away after a lovely ball from Wood found the sub who somehow fired over again when it looked easier to score. Giles did well to stop a promising looking attack from the hosts before the visitors final change saw Angus MacDonald on for Wes Harding. Johansson did well to get down to a shot from Lerma and it was the Colombian again who spread the ball to Junior Stanislas whose shot was sent behind by Johansson. A minute later MacDonald did well to stop Stanislas in his tracks before a shot from Brooks went over the crossbar with Johansson doing well just before the end to save from Surridge.

I think Bournemouth will know they have been in a game this evening and once again the Millers had chances and once again we didn’t take them. An equally long trip on Saturday sees us go to an equally good top team and we really could do with bringing something back from Norwich.