Match Reports

Millers Get Away Point At Nottingham Forest

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Nottingham Forest 1 Rotherham United 1
Ameobi  (79)                     Barlaser (pen 51)

Two second half goals saw the Millers lose the lead again but gain an away point at the City Ground this evening.

The Millers made three changes bringing in Richard Wood, Billy Jones and Jamie Lindsay for the suspended Angus MacDonald, injured Clark Robertson while Shaun MacDonald went down to the bench. Forest fielded the same eleven that started their win over Blackburn on Saturday.

The hosts had the better of the opening minutes and Rotherham got a scare early on when a short corner seem to leave the Millers defenders a bit flat footed and a cross from Joe Lolley ended up in the back of the net but a linesmans flag was a let-off for the visitors. On thirteen minutes the Millers have Michael Ihiekwe to thank for kicking the ball off the line and minutes later a cross from Sammy Ameobi went past former Miller Lewis Grabban before Lolley eventually found him with the Millers defence getting the ball out as far as Ryan Yates who hit the ball behind. Rotherham started to get into the game and some lovely work from Jamie Lindsay saw him get near the goal line to put the ball onto Freddie Ladapo’s head but the tall centre forward couldn’t steer it in the right direction. Lindsay did well again to get himself in space in the box but slipped as he was about to take aim followed by Mickel Miller having a shot from some twenty yards out that went over the crossbar. A cross from Ben Wiles was headed across goal by Ihiekwe but there wasn’t another Rotherham player to get to it. At the other end Miller got the better of Cyrus Christie winning a free-kick into the process. A Freeman corner found the head of Tobias Figueiredo but the Portuguese centre-back couldn’t keep his header down. As the board went up for one extra minute Dan Barlaser won a free-kick which Forest ‘keeper Brice Samba did well to pluck out of the air sending Lolley on his way but his shot at goal didn’t bother Rotherham ‘keeper Jamal Blackman.

The second half started well for the visitors and when Billy Jones took the ball into the area Cyrus Christie brought him down to give away a penalty. Up stepped Dan Barlaser to blast the ball down the middle to give the Millers the lead. The first card of the night went to Jamie Lindsay after he delayed a free-kick. Jones did very well at the other end when he got in a good challenge on Lewis Grabban preventing him from shooting at goal. On the hour mark Ryan Yates saw a header come back off the crossbar before Mickel Miller, at the other end, skipped into the penalty area but lost the ball as he was about to pass to Freddie Ladapo. Minutes later  it was only some superb Millers defending on the line that kept Joe Lolley and Grabban at bay. At the other end a good move between Lindsay, Ben Wiles and Barlaser saw the ball go to Matt Crooks who headed down for Ladapo who was fouled by Scott McKenna with Barlaser’s free-kick coming off the turf into the arms of the falling Brice Samba. The Millers first change saw Jamie Lindsay make way for Shaun MacDonald while the hosts brought on Lyle Taylor for Luke Freeman and minutes later Matthew Olosunde became the second sub for the visitors for Mickel Miller. The Millers goal was busy with Jamal Blackman doing well to punch away a free-kick and then he blocked a shot from Lolley before the same player hit the foot of the post. Forest’s second substitute saw Harry Arter replace Jack Colback which was followed by another fine save from Christie by Blackman. The Millers’ next change saw Kieran Sadlier on for Billy Jones. Rotherham couldn’t hold out and on the seventy-ninth minute a Grabban pass to Lolley saw the winger put the ball into the net for the equaliser. And it might have been two when a shot from Yates was blocked on the line before Arter put a shot wide. Grabban had more chances, one where he rounded Blackman but fired over before a corner for Rotherham saw Barlaser get the ball to Michael Ihiekwe whose header was blocked by a red shirted defender. In time added on Wes Harding was booked for a foul on Lolley. Nicolas Ioannou tried to get himself into a shooting position but Barlaser did well to stop him before  the final minute of stoppage time saw a Forest free-kick put well over the crossbar by Arter.

Well, it was certainly hands to the pumps for most of the second half for the Millers and I think a draw was a good result in the end. And now we’ve got to get ourselves sorted to do it all again on Saturday at Reading.

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