Millers Get Better Of Imps

Rotherham United 2 -1 Lincoln City
Nombe (21) Makama (50)
Raggett (77)

Rotherham United won their first league game since the end of October this evening which sees them move up two places to seventeenth in the table.

The game had a thirty minute delay due to problems with the floodlights and when it finally kicked-off it was only five minutes old when Adam Jackson went down under a challenge from Hakeem Odoffin and after treatment on the pitch was replaced by Dom Jeffries. The first corner of the game went to the visitors on nine minutes after a great flying save from Dillon Phillips over in the Rotherham goal to tip the ball over. The short corner found the Imps substitute who saw Joe Rafferty clear his shot off the line to safety. Minutes later a high boot from Ethan Erhahon saw Rafferty win a free-kick which Joe Powell took finding the head of Zak Jules who sent the ball into the waiting arms of City ‘keeper George Wickens. At the other end Ben House sent Jack Moylan on his way who saw his shot blocked before a ball from Powell found Mallik Wilks who twisted his way past Sean Roughan but not past Paudie O’Connor. On twenty-one minutes a long throw from Reece James into the box came back out to him before he sent it back in finding Sam Nombe who put the ball into the net to give the Millers the lead. A nice pass from Conor McGrandles meant for House was blocked by Jules with Sean Raggett clearing before Phillips did well to make narrow the angle when House shot before saving at the other end the ball coming back out to House who put the ball back in with Raggett getting there before Jovon Makama with Nombe finally clearing. A headed pass from Odoffin found Nombe who rode a tackle before shooting from just outside the box the ball going past the upright. At the other end House was free again getting past Raggett with Phillips doing well to punch away his shot with Rafferty getting there to clear. There was a further six minutes added on in the first half with the Imps finding space to go forward before James put a halt to that sending the ball the other way for Christ Tiehi who flew into the area before forcing a good save off Wicken.

The second half started with a second change for the visitors Ethan Hamilton making way for Reeco Hackett. The first yellow card of the evening went Zak Jules way after he gave away a stupid foul by pushing over Ben House in a dangerous place. Dillon Phillips managed to keep Jack Moylan’s low free-kick out but Jovon Makama was there to smash home the rebound making it one-all in front of the one thousand two hundred and fifty travelling fans. Minutes later it might have been another for the Imps when House got the better of Tiehi before doing the same to Jules but his shot was saved by Phillips. Joe Rafferty, who had been pushed and pulled every way possible in the game, saw yellow for a foul on Moylan before a Joe Powell free-kick found Jonson Clarke-Harris in the box but the Millers’ captain saw his shot blocked. Another free-kick found Clarke-Harris who in turn found Mallik Wilks the loanee sending the ball high and wide of the post before Moylan came close at the other end but his shot from outside the box went wide. A poor challenge on Nombe saw referee Martin Woods show Tendayi Darikwa a yellow card and minutes later City brought on Freddie Draper for Ben House. A corner at each end came to nothing before Ethan Erhahon was booked. Darikwa did well to stop a cross from James finding a red shirt before Wilks sent up Nombe who went down under a challenge with the Millers fans demanding a spot-kick but nothing was given with the visitors flying down the other end and winning a corner. That came to nothing with Phillips long ball finding Powell who sent it for Christ Tiehi the midfielder sending the ball for Mallik Wilks but it was blocked for a corner. Wilks took the corner short to Powell who sent a lovely cross into the penalty area with Sean Raggett climbing above everyone to head home and give the Millers back the lead. Two changes for City saw Bailey Cadamarteri and Erik Ring come on for Jovon Makama and Jack Moylan. Hakeem Odoffin had to be on his mettle when a corner from Sean Roughan was flicked forward the Millers number twenty-two hacking it off the line before Jules did well to stop a Conor McGrandles shot causing problems. As the board went up for a further seven minutes the Millers made their first change with Shaun McWilliams coming on for Mallik Wilks – which was a bit surprising as both Clarke-Harris and Nombe looked out on their feet although two minutes later Nombe was replaced by Alex MacDonald. Both Draper and Darikwa saw shots kept out by the Rotherham defence before a shot from O’Connor went wide. As the clock ran down another change for the hosts saw Jamie McCart enter the pitch Reece James going the other way. In the final couple of minutes Mr Woods was waving his cards around with Hakeem Odoffin for Rotherham and City’s Reeco Hackett and Freddie Draper being the recipients.

A win is a win is a win. It was a scrappy, stop-go game but I do feel it was better from the Millers. We defended better when we had to, we went forward better, we passed better. Long may it continue. But a lot of our players looked absolutely ‘kerry packered’ for the last twenty minutes or so – maybe the effect of the illness that’s been doing the rounds? Onto Blackpool on Saturday.

Attendance – 8,995 (1,256 Imps in the ground)

Referee – Martin Woods