Millers lose in Cup

Rotherham United found Premiership side, Stoke City, too strong for them at the Brittania last night as they went out of the Carling Cup to goals from Glenn Whelen and Danny Pugh.

With a good following making the journey from South Yorkshire, the Millers made a solid start but the first chance of the game came on eighteen minutes to the home side when Dave Kitson but Vincent Pericard through on goal only for the Frenchman to blast well over the bar into the crowd. Three minutes later, referee, Mark Halsey awarded the Potters a free kick and Whelan curled it in and past slow diving Andy Warrington to open the scoring. Minutes later an Alex Rhodes cross found the head of Nick Fenton but the defender nodded over the bar. Richard Cresswell should have put Stoke further into the lead when he collected the ball, swivelled and shot at goal but Andy Warrington made a great save, tipping the ball onto the post before it went out to safety.

The second half started with Warrington saving a tame shot from Seyi Olofinjana and Pericard having a shot that drifted wide of the upright. But the Millers started to put on a bit of pressure and Steve Simonsen had to save well from Reuben Reid and then a few minutes later Reid laid on an inch perfect ball for Drewe Broughton but the striker sailed the ball over the crossbar. And they were made to pay for those misses on the hour mark when Dave Kitson’s clever ball found Pugh who slotted the ball past Warrington and did a couple of somersalts in front of the home fans to celebrate. Stoke were on top again and Kitson thought he’d scored his first goal for City but the linesman’s flag went up for offside. The Millers could have scored a consolation goal with five mintues to go but Reid’s shot went just over the bar.

So, the Millers are out of the Carling Cup and, although two-nil was perhaps a fair reflection on the night, the League Two side did well to get this far in the competition.