Millers Lose First Home Game Of The New Year

Rotherham United 0 Stoke City 1
                                             Baker 45+4

This was a game of two reluctant teams at the New York Stadium this afternoon with the away side making the most of a chance scoring a good goal from a free-kick before the break.

Before the game the fans stood to pay their respects for the Rotherham Remembers Tribute the City fans joining the Millers fans with applause.

The hosts had a chance on four minutes when they won a throw-in in a good position which Sean Morrison hurled in only for Daniel Iversen, in the Stoke goal and back at the New York Stadium, climbing above everyone to collect it. At the other end Millers’ ‘keeper Viktor Johansson did well to get off his line quickly and thwart Lewis Baker getting hold of the ball. A cruel deflection off Ollie Rathbone saw Stoke win a corner which came to nothing before Johansson had to be on his toes again to get hold of a cross into the box from Ki-Jana Hoever which was followed by Morrison doing well to get to a ball in from Andre Vidigal before it found a visiting forward. On the twentieth minute Jordan Hugill won a free-kick which Sam Clucas took and retrieved it again when it came back out to him before trying a shot from distance which was deflected inches wide for a corner. Clucas took the resulting set-piece finding Sam Nombe in the box but the Rotherham striker couldn’t control it and the ball was cleared. Not for the first time this season the Millers were thankful for Johansson when he did well to get fingertips to a dipping shot from Vidigal to put it over the crossbar before Iversen, at the other end, did well to get to a Christ Tiehi ball before Hugill. In time added on City went into attack mode and Clucas took one for the team by hauling down Jordan Thompson on the edge of the box. Millers’ fans nails were being bitten as referee Keith Stroud organised and re-organised the wall while Thompson and Baker stood over the ball the latter taking the free-kick seeing his piledriver of a shot find it’s way into the back of the net to give the visitors the lead going in at half-time.

In the opening minutes of the second half a long kick from Viktor Johansson was won by Jordan Hugill who sent the ball to Sam Nombe but his shot from outside the box was well over the crossbar. Minutes later a good run down the wing by Cohen Bramall saw his cross find Hugill at the far post but his header was wide before Stoke went straight down the other end with Sead Haksabanovic finding Andre Vidigal who saw his shot go high over the crossbar. A nothing challenge on Vidigal saw the forward clearly on the floor off the pitch but Mr Stroud stopped the game allowing the trainers on while Vidigal worked his feet back onto the pitch much to the jeers from the Millers fans in the Family Stand. Hakeem Odoffin started to get forward in this second half and saw a shot go just past the post before a cross into the box from Lee Peltier was put wide by Luke McNally. Sam Clucas was the next home player to have a foray up front seeing his shot defended by Ki-Jana Hoever for another corner which saw Clucas find Christ Tiehi whose angled effort ended up on top of the net. Changes for the Millers on sixty-five minutes saw Tom Eaves and Cafu replace Jordan Hugill and Ollie Rathbone while Stoke brought on Mehdi Leris for Sean Haksabanovic. Seven minutes later more changes saw Lee Peltier and Sam Clucas make way for Arvin Appiah and Jamie Lindsay for the hosts. A poor challenge on Appiah saw Wouter Burger yellow carded before City replaced Ryan Mmaee with Tyrese Campbell. Some nice football from Cafu saw him put the ball into the air for Eaves but the Millers sub was beaten to it by Daniel Iversen which was followed by the final change for the Millers with Georgie Kelly coming on for Sam Nombe. Eaves was clearly held back by his shirt stopping him go forward but both referee and linesman ignored it while the self same foul not two minutes later saw Eaves get a yellow and Burger win a free-kick. Consistency??? A couple of free-kicks for Rotherham came to nothing the latter one seeing Cafu booked for arguing while Luke Cundle made way for Ben Pearson for the visitors. The board went up for six further minutes and a chance for the Millers when Seb Revan sent in a super cross from the right for Kelly but Iversen was there to catch. A foul on Tiehi brought a yellow card for Jordan Thompson the free-kick but there wasn’t time for the kick to be taken.

The difference between the teams today was a very well taken free-kick. Positives? I don’t think we got any more injuries. Negatives? I’ve never seen a team go backwards so many times as I did Rotherham this afternoon. We aren’t going to score goals in our own half lads please get it forward.

Attendance – 11,002 – 2184 Potters in the ground

Referee – Keith Stroud