Millers Out Of Cup

Fulham 1 Rotherham United 0
Decordova-Reid (24)

Rotherham United bowed out of the FA Cup at the first time of asking this evening though by a very slender margin against Premier League side Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The Millers had the first chance almost from kick-off winning a throw-in that Sean Morrison took finding Jordan Hugill who sent the ball skidding wide. Minutes later Millers’ ‘keeper Viktor Johansson decided to be a right-back which saw him mis-kick the ball which luckily didn’t really cause a problem. Good work for the hosts between Andreas Pereira and Bobby Decordova-Reid saw the latter’s shot well blocked by Hakeem Odoffin seeing the hosts win the first corner of the game which came to nothing. Pereira again found himself in space sending a ball through for to Harrison Reed but Johansson got there first before Cafu won the ball back from Pereira and sent Cohen Bramall on a run which saw him cross into the box but it was cleared by Issa Diop before a Harry Wilson set-piece was a stretch for Tosin Adarabioyo who headed away from goal. Morrison did well to clear a cross meant for Rodrigo Muniz before Seb Revan had to be on his toes to stop a Decordova-Reid corner finding Wilson at the far post. But on the twenty-third minute Johansson sent the ball out for Revan who seemed to get his feet in a muddle, Wilson taking advantage of this and found Decordova-Reid whose shot from twenty yards out flew into the net giving the Millers’ ‘keeper no chance. A free-kick for the Millers was taken by Odoffin who found Tom Eaves in space whose shot took a ricochet towards Hugill but as the Millers forward put the ball in the net the off-side flag went up. The Millers gave the ball away in the middle of the park Wilson collecting and sent the ball through for Muniz, the Brazilian easily got by Morrison only to see his shot from just inside the box go wide. The final five minutes of the half saw Reed and Muniz work well to get the ball to Decordova-Reid but his shot was blocked before a cross from Kenny Tete saw Pereira’s shot hit the post before a shot from Reed went across the face of goal before Morrison put it out for a corner, the Cottagers asking for a penalty, which VAR were involved in dismissing the appeal. Tete then dragged Eaves to the ground the Sam Clucas free-kick saw Morrison win it in the air the ball coming back out to Clucas who sent it back to his goalkeeper. Another foul on Eaves and another Clucas set-piece saw Morrison get on the end of it with former Miller’s ‘keeper Marek Rodak, in the home goal, stopping it from going out and sending it far up the other end referee Simon Hooper, a late change, blowing the whistle for the end of the first half.

No changes for either side at half-time and it was Fulham who had a first try which saw Andreas Pereira try an ambitious shot which went well wide. Tim Castagne sent a good ball for Harrison Reed in space, his shot well blocked by Cohen Bramall who went down as the ball went out for a corner. Viktor Johansson made a rare error from a Kenny Tete shot with Sean Morrision coming to his aid to clear. Bramall tried to carry on but had to be replaced by Lee Peltier, just back from injury himself. A goalmouth scramble fell to Pereira who shot, the ball blocked for a corner which saw Pereira send a great ball in which Dexter Lembikisa put behind the resulting corner fetching off a brilliant one handed save from Johansson from Tosin Adarabioyo. It’s all Fulham and another corner saw Pereira, seeing Johansson off his line, curl the ball towards goal but it landed on the top of the net. With twenty-five minutes to go a triple change for the Millers saw Sam Nombe, Oliver Rathbone and Christ Tiehi on for Tom Eaves, Cafu and Sam Clucas. Wilson and Rathbone went shoulder to shoulder in the area with the ball going out for a corner, despite Wilson asking for a penalty with Seb Revan cleared the first corner with the second corner seeing a break by the Millers with Nombe sending Rathbone on his way only to see the midfielder send the ball back to Morrison and the move was over. Nombe did well to get near Reed and nearly pinched the ball but the midfielder regained control before more good work for the visitors saw a good ball over the top find Rathbone who won a throw-in which Morrison took long into the box seeing the ball come off Marek Rodak with the referee blowing for a foul on the ‘keeper. With fifteen minutes to go the hosts brought on Carlos Vinicus, Willian and Atom Cairney with Rodrigo Muniz, Harry Wilson and Harrison Reed going the other way. Issa Diop got into space and played a one-two with Sasa Lukic before putting his shot wide. A final change for the Millers saw Arvin Appiah come on for Dexter Lembikisa while Fullham brought on Antonee Robinson and Tyrese Francois for Tim Castagne and Andreas Pereira. Revan did well to get to a ball into the box from Robinson and head away before some nice passing work from the Millers saw Lindsay, Revan, Nombe, Tiehi and Peltier involved before Peltier sent the ball for Appiah who might have been better having a shot than sending a cross in which went nowhere. In the five minutes of time added on Tiehi won a free-kick which was taken short towards Peltier who picked out Appiah but the La Liga loanee was crowded out. Rathbone tried to play Jamie Lindsay in as the clock ticked down but he seemed very pedestrian before Rathbone himself saw a header in the box blocked. Johansson tried to send a long ball to Hugill but it was blocked by a white shirt before a pass from Willian found Vinicius who saw his shot from outside the box go straight into the waiting arms of the Rotherham number one.

So, that’s our FA Cup over for another season.

Yes, Fulham did deserve the win but then again they are in the Premier League while Rotherham did have some passages of play. And we kept them down to one goal.

Back to the league next weekend and let’s hope all our players came out of this unscathed, although Cohen Bramall limping off might not be the case.

Attendance – 15,083

Referee – Simon Hooper