Millers Lose To Hatters

Rotherham United 0 Luton Town 2
                                             Morris (45), Woodrow (47)

Rotherham United couldn’t keep the momentum of the last few games going and suffered a defeat to promotion hopefuls Luton Town at the New York Stadium this afternoon.

The first action of the half was on five minutes when former Miller Carlton Morris earned the wrath of Cameron Humphreys after the Rotherham man was fouled. The free-kick came to nothing but a couple of minutes later Wes Harding worked his way past Amari’l Bell and crossed but it was an easy take for Hatters’ ‘keeper Ethan Horvath. At the other end Tyler Blackett did well to block from Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu which was followed by a long throw from Harding which went towards Jordan Hugill in the visitors box but again Horvath came out to collect. On the quarter of an hour mark Hugill won a free-kick which Leo Hjelde took finding Blackett at the back post but there was a supposed foul on a Luton player in the build-up (one of oh so many during the afternoon). Hugill got to a good ball and put it across the face of goal but the only player there to collect was Horvath before some good work from Chieo Ogbene saw him get past two defenders and send in a looping ball which was just too far for Harding to get his head to. Morris was being given far too much space and only a good block from Conor Coventry stopped his shot reaching the goal line before Tom Lockyer decided to try his luck the ball going way into the crowd behind the goal. The first yellow card of the afternoon from referee Leigh Doughty (who was a change from the original ref – I think a lot of Millers fans would have preferred Darren Bond) went to Leo Hjelde for a cynical foul on Cody Drameh and was followed shortly afterwards by a yellow for Reece Burke after a nasty tackle on Ogbene. Drameh got himself into a good space sending a shot in which Millers’ ‘keeper Josh Vickers did well to clear but only as far as Bell whose shot was brilliantly clawed away by Vickers. But as the board was going up for time added on Bell found the ball at his feet and sent it to Morris who curled the ball into the top corner of the net to give the visitors the lead.

The second half started with no changes to either team and was just a minute old when a cross went in from Cody Drameh and it seemed like Wes Harding just had to usher the ball out for a goal kick but somehow it jumped up and hit him on the arm and Mr Doughty immediately pointed to the penalty spot. Up stepped Cauley Woodrow and despite Josh Vickers getting down to push the ball away it only found Woodrow who slotted it into the back of the net to make it two-nil to Luton. The Millers made two changes bringing on Ollie Rathbone and Domingos Quina with Conor Coventry and Leo Hjelde going the other way. A corner for the visitors saw Drameh swing it in as far as Sonny Bradley who headed down for Carlton Morris who saw his shot hit the side netting. The Millers got a free-kick just outside the area which Quina took but put wide which was followed by Lee Peltier making way for Cohen Bramall. A poor challenge on Rathbone saw Allan Campbell get a yellow card and when Quina made a bit of a hash of a cross in the box it eventually found Jordan Hugill who sent it through for Jamie Lindsay his strike seemingly hitting the arm of Campbell (exactly like Harding at the end of the first half) but all appeals for a penalty from the Rotherham players fell on deaf ears. There were a few more decisions that the referee wasn’t interested in including throw-ins, pushes in the back, pulling of shirts . . . The first change for Luton saw Joe Taylor on for Carlton Morris. Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu found himself in space and shot from distance the ball travelling over the crossbar which was followed by two Millers’ subs, Richard Wood and Georgie Taylor coming on for Tyler Blackett and Tariqe Fosu. After trying to exchange shirts with Wood Sonny Bradley found himself in the referee’s book with Luton fetching on Luke Berry for Cauley Woodrow. Some nice work from Rathbone saw him send the ball for Harding who saw his shot from just outside the box blocked. At the other end a Luton corner was blocked by the Millers defence before Berry found himself with the ball at his feet and in space but also offside. Nice work from Quina saw first Lindsay have a shot which came back off a Luton defender as far as Rathbone who also saw his shot blocked. Bramall got the ball under his spell and sped off down the touchline only to be upended by Drameh who was booked. At the other end a Drameh delivery found Bradley who saw Vickers head the ball away. Another change for the visitors saw Reece Burke make way for Luke Freeman. Some good work from Harding came to a halt when he was fouled by Marvellous Nakamba who was given a yellow card for his trouble. The board went up for an extra seven minutes and the Millers tried their best to get back into the game but they seemed to be thwarted at every turn. A corner came in but Quina supposedly gave away a foul and then got booked followed by a foul on Georgie Kelly which saw the yellow card produced again for Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu.

It was a game of fouls, falling over, free-kicks and to be honest I don’t think the Millers were at their best today. They seemed a bit ‘slow’ I suppose for want of a better word until the last fifteen minutes or so.

We really could have done with something from today’s game but we go again Tuesday when already promoted Burnley are the visitors at the New York Stadium.

Attendance – 11,009

Referee – Leigh Doughty (and probably Luton’s Man of the Match)