Millers Out Of Cup

Rotherham United 1 Accrington Stanley 2
Sadlier (76)                     Charles ( 38)
                                           Bishop (86)

Rotherham United are out of the Carabao Cup at the first time of asking after a late goal gave Accrington Stanley a two-one win.

The Millers gave first starts to Hakeem Odoffin, Shane Ferguson, Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Ollie Rathbone and Joshua Kayode.

A scrappy start saw the first half chance going to the visitors when some nice work in midfield saw the ball fall to Harry Pell whose shot only found the waiting arms of Viktor Johansson. Minutes later the Millers’ ‘keeper was quick off his line to get to a ball before Dion Charles while some good defending from skipper for tonight Michael Ihiekwe stopped a ball from David Morgan finding Colby Bishop. On seventeen minutes a Stanley corner found the head of Matt Butcher and with the ball heading into the net Edmonds-Green hooked the ball off the line. It was twenty minutes in when the hosts made their first chance of the game which saw Kieran Sadlier’s low shot from the edge of the area easily saved by Toby Savin. It really should have been one-nil to the visitors a minute later when some lazy work from the hosts saw the ball collected by Joe Pritchard who dragged his shot wide when he had an empty net to aim at. Edmonds-Green was on hand again to stop a flowing move from Accrington giving away a corner which came to nothing with both Joe Mattock and Ihiekwe having to defend well before a Morgan shot from a short corner flew over the crossbar followed by a good tackle from Hakeen Odoffin stopping Morgan in his tracks. After some super defending from Ihiekwe the ball finally fell to Ollie Rathbone who flew down the pitch to the edge of the area and saw his shot well defended. Rotherham were just starting to get into the game when on the thirty-eighth minute the visitors took the lead after a good release from Savin found Charles who jiggled the ball from one foot to the other and hit it into the net. After a Sadlier free-kick was thwarted Rathbone and Dan Barlaser worked the ball back to Sadlier whose shot stung the hands of the Accrington ‘keeper. Both Odoffin and Rathbone won free-kicks in the last couple of minutes of the half but nothing came from them.

The Millers brought on Chieo Ogbene for Dan Barlaser at the start of the second half and the Millers had the first chance of the half Toby Savin having to save from a Freddie Ladapo shot. Scott Rathbone threaded a lovely ball through to Ladapo but his ball to Joshua Kayode was blocked. At the other end a nice pass from Dion Charles found Joe Pritchard who shot wide before a bit of Ogbene magic found Kieran Sadlier who sent the ball in towards the back post only for Ross Sykes to clear with Joshua Kayode in a good position. Another change for the hosts saw Ladapo make way for Michael Smith. On sixty-two minutes Ogbene looked to have got past his marker only to be pulled back with a yellow card being shown to Cameron Burgess which was followed a minute later by another yellow to Harvey Rodgers for hacking down Kayode. Ben Wiles then replaced Hakeem Odoffin before Rarmani Edmonds-Green won the Millers a corner. Both Rathbone and Sadlier had efforts blocked in the box before Accrington almost doubled their lead when a cross from Harry Pell found Charles but Viktor Johansson had it covered. With fifteen minutes to go the Millers got a free-kick some twenty-five yards out which Sadlier hit giving Savin no chance as it flew into the net equalising for Rotherham. Stanley brought on Sean McConville for Harry Pell and but for a great block from Edmonds-Green Charles would have regained the lead for the visitors. At the other end a Smith cross aimed for Kayode was put out for a corner which came to nothing followed by a yellow card for Edmonds-Green after a foul on Charles. In the final five minutes of the game Kayode came close with a header before Johansson saved from a Joe Pritchard shot but the ball fell to Colby Bishop who headed the visitors back into the lead four minutes from time. In time added on Savin went into the book for time wasting.

Oh well, that’s that then. Poor first half show from the Millers although was better in the second half. Back to the league on Saturday with a visit to Wigan.

Attendance – 3,131 (137 Accie Fans)