Queens Park Rangers 1 Rotherham United 1
Dykes (115) Ihiekwe (98)
Rotherham United took Championship side Queens Park Rangers to extra time and penalties this afternoon at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium losing eight-seven in the shoot-out but not once disgracing themselves.
The Millers started the better and Will Grigg harassed Rangers’ ‘keeper Jordan Archer into conceding an early corner which came to nothing. Millers skipper Richard Wood won a free-kick which Josh Vickers, the Rotherham ‘keeper, took it long finding Michael Smith who headed it down towards Grigg but he couldn’t quite get to it. At the other end a great tackle from Kieran Sadlier stopped Andre Gray getting a shot away from distance away before Rarmani Edmonds-Green did brilliantly to stop the ball reaching Gray who would have been through on goal. A poor challenge on Dan Barlaser saw the first yellow of the game go to birthday boy Stefan Johanson with the free-kick finding Wes Harding who won a corner which ended in the referee blowing for a foul. Minutes later a good cross from Harding found Grigg who chested the ball down but Jimmy Dunne stopped him taking a shot. At the other end some poor defending let Lee Wallace in who sent the ball square to George Thomas who somehow missed the ball when it looked certain that he’d score. A cross from Smith looking for Grigg saw Archer get there first followed by a foul on Smith from Dunne with the free-kick coming to nothing. The hosts might have scored but from a wonderful save from Vickers off Gray after some good work from Wallace. A foul on Ollie Rathbone saw Sadlier send the ball to Harding who won a corner which Dan Barlaser took and saw punched to safety by Archer. After dealing with a Yoann Barbet free-kick Michael Ihiekwe headed away the resulting corner before a quick throw-in found former Miller Dominic Ball who saw his effort go wide. Harding came out to block a shot meant for Ball before Vickers again did well to save a header from Dunne. The Millers gave away a silly corner which was taken short and saw the Rotherham defence get the ball away. Rathbone found himself with the ball sending it to Harding who put a low ball in finding Ihiekwe who sliced his shot from six yards out making it an easy stop for Archer. Sadlier was the next to send in a good cross to Shane Ferguson who in turn sent the ball up for Smith who was put off by Wallace with the ball going out. A corner for the hosts saw Vickers get down well to save from Charlie Austin. The Millers thought they should have had a corner but referee Michael Salisbury blew for half-time.
Rotherham United nearly had the perfect start when Rarmani Edmonds-Green sent a lovely ball into space which Will Grigg picked up sending the ball up for Michael Smith who saw his header nestle on the top of the net. A shot from distance by Rob Dickie bothered nobody before a header from Andre Gray was headed straight into the waiting arms of Josh Vickers. Some nice work from the hosts saw Lee Wallace running at Edmonds-Green who kept him company and appeared to put the Scottish left-back off which was the Millers loanee’s last action as he was replaced by Chieo Ogbene while Jamie Lindsay came on for Kieran Sadlier. Two changes for Rangers saw Lee Wallace and Charlie Austin make way for Moses Odubajo and Lyndon Dykes. Richard Wood was caught in no-man’s land when Dykes flew down the wing and played the ball through for Gray who leaned back and saw his shot go over the crossbar. Another change for the visitors saw Will Grigg make way for Josh Kayode. Dan Barlaser sent in a lovely ball for Michael Ihiekwe who saw his shot cleared by Barbet before a great header from Harding stopped Gray with Vickers jumping to catch the ball taking his Millers team mate out too, though Harding gets up. Ogbene set off on a run and was crudely taken out by Odubajo before Odubajo was there again to get to a ball put into the area from Rathbone. With twenty minutes to go a shot from distance by Barlaser went wide followed by a change for the hosts with Luke Amos taking the place of Dom Ball. A foul by Harding on Dykes saw a free-kick for Rangers which saw Adomah shoot from outside the box the ball going over. A foul on Ogbene saw the visitors get a free-kick which came to nothing. Archer came for a long ball and missed with Kayode getting to it but saw his shot cleared off the line by Barbet before Wood had a header that he glanced just wide. Two more changes for the Millers saw Shane Ferguson and Dan Barlaser off with Tolaji Bola and Hakeen Odoffin on. After a free-kick the ball fell to Smith who headed the ball down to Lindsay but the Scot shot wide before a cross from Odubajo at the other end was headed high by Adomah. A cross into the area from Rathbone was meant for Smith but Dickie got there first to put behind for a corner which came to nothing. Rathbone and Kayode worked well together with the latter sending a lovely ball to Odoffin who thundered the ball towards goal which Archer saved at the second attempt. In the final minutes of the half Vickers brought off a brilliant save from Dykes to keep the Millers in the game. Some good work from Ogbene saw him win a corner in time added on which was partially cleared ending with a free-kick for the Millers after Rathbone appeared to be elbowed in the face which saw it go out for a long throw from Harding with which he found Ihiekwe who headed wide.
Extra Time
Rangers made a change for the start of extra time with Aaron Drewe replacing Moses Odubajo. Again the Millers started well with a cross from Chieo Ogbene finding Josh Kayode who saw his header go inches wide. Andre Gray and Albert Adomah had shots blocked before Ollie Rathbone won a corner for Rotherham. Eight minutes into extra time a cross-field pass from Wes Harding found Michael Ihikewe who took a great touch with his left foot shooting it into the net with his right to put the Millers in front. A foul on on Rob Dickie earned Jamie Lindsay a yellow card before another good cross from Harding saw Kayode rise but headed straight into the waiting arms of Jordan Archer. Tolaji Bola won a corner for the visitors which Hakeen Odoffin sent in to Lindsay who hit it way over the crossbar.
The second half of extra time started a bit scrappily but it was Adomah who sent the ball to Dykes but he couldn’t get the better of the Millers defenders who cleared with Lindsay having half a chance from the edge of the area at the other end which went over. Odoffin won a free-kick for the Millers which saw Harding yellow carded after taking his time and it came to nothing before a super run from Adomah saw him get the ball to Gray who slipped with Vickers saving. Good work from Adomah again saw him deliver into the area for Dykes who climbed up to head the ball but Vickers got a hand to it and the ball hit the underside of the bar and the equaliser was given although there were Rotherham protests that the ball hadn’t gone over the line. Rotherham had a good shout for a penalty after Ogbene was hacked down in the area but nothing was given. Johanson sent the ball through to Gray who saw his shot brilliantly blocked before Ogbene did well to clear in the final moments of the game from a corner.
Penalties
Dykes – scored
Smith – scored
Johanson – scored
Rathbone – scored
Gray – scored
Harding – saved
Dozell – saved
JJ – scored
Adomah – scored (from under the crossbar)
Odoffin – scored
Amos – scored (off the post)
Lindsay – scored
Barbet – scored
Bola – scored
Dunne – scored
Ihiekwe – scored
Dickie – scored
Ogbene – saved
– QPR WIN ON PENS.
Attendance – 7,157 (685 Millers)
Referee – Michael Salisbury
