Millers Ravaged

Port Vale went on the rampage today at Millmoor as the Millers went down 5-1, their biggest defeat of the season.

Vale, collecting their first three points away from home since December, had all but won the game at half time with a hat-trick from Akpo Sodje and a further goal from Captain George Pilkington put Vale into a commanding lead.

It was the Millers who came out of the blocks well with Marc Newsham getting the ball in the net after ninety seconds but was judged to be offside and in form player, Martin Woods, forced Joe Anyon into a save three minutes later.

Sodje got his first on eleven minutes when he headed the ball past a helpless Gary Montgomery in the Rotherham net, his second followed on the twenty-fifth minute and he completed his hat-trick four minutes later with a powerful header from Danny Sonners corner. Vale threatened to run riot and Pilkington got the fourth just before half-time as boo`s rang out from the Millers faithful in the stands. As half-time came Ian Henderson hit the crossbar and Anyon saved well from Delroy Facey`s rebound.

Caretaker boss, Mark Robins, swapped Justin Cochrane for young defender Liam King for the start of the second half but Vale always looked in command. The Millers did get a life line when Facey managed to pull a goal back as Vale seemed happy to let the home side push forward but Sodje grabbed his fourth and Vales fifth twelve minutes before full time.

Unless we can find a genie in a bottle who will grant us three wishes this result makes it almost certain that the Millers will be playing Second Division football next season.