Millers out of Johnstone’s Paint Trophy

Two early goals from Huddersfield Town was enough to put the Millers out of this season’s Johnstone Paint Trophy at Don Valley this evening.

Huddersfield captain, Peter Clarke, was on hand to head the ball into the back of the net from a Lionel Ainsworth corner on just two minutes. And, it took just another six minutes for the visitors to double the lead after Goodwin took a quick free kick on the half way line. He found Pilkington who brushed the Millers midfield and defenders away and his cross found Robbie Simpson unmarked in the penalty area. Simpson put his firm header past Andy Warrington into the net. Moments later it could have been three when Ainsworth’s shot went into the side netting and Warrington was lucky minutes later to see a poor clearance bounce off the back of Lee Novak and away to safety. The Millers had a chance to get one back when Michael Collins fouled Micky Cummins and the home side were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position. Nicky Law took the kick but it went straight into the wall. At the other end Town came close to getting a third when Simpson walked past the Millers defence, skipped past Warrington pulled the ball back for Michael Collins who’s shot was scrambled off the line by Jamie Green. Kevin Ellison had a shot at the other end that went wide and Ainsworth shot just wide of Warrington’s goal a minute later. With the Millers looking as though they couldn’t hit the proverbial barn door a neat one two between Law and Le Fondre saw the Millers striker get the home side back into it when he put the ball between Alex Smithies and Nathen Clarke into the back of the net. Both ‘keepers then made fingertip saves, Warrington from Simpson and Smithies from Ellison before Warrington got down well to save a shot from Ainsworth who was clean through on goal.

Rotherham started the second half the brighter with Andy Liddell seeing a lot of the ball although, it was Warrington who made a second brilliant save when a brilliant header from Ainsworth found the feet of Novak, but the six foot striker seem to want all the time in the world and Warrington spread himself to block the shot. Twenty minutes into the second half Ellison neatly beat Nathan Clarke to a ball on the edge of the area but pressure from Peltier made him fire wide. The former Chester player had another chance a minute later but again blasted wide of the goal. With the game moving towards the final minutes, Warrington had to save well from Pilkington while at the other end a shout for a penalty, though more from the cold Millers fans than the players, was ignored by referee Bratt when an overhead kick by Le Fondre was handled by a Town defender.

The Millers looked a bit out of sorts this evening and, even after they’d scored, seemed to be on the back foot. Better in the second half but no trip to Wembley, this way, this year.

And the pitch? Well, it looked a little peculiar, to say the least!