Match Reports

Millers Stung By Late Goal

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Blackburn Rovers 2 Rotherham United 1
Elliott (80)                       Smith (61)
Armstrong (90+8)

It was a very late goal that saw the Millers lose this game after going in front this evening at Ewood Park.

The Millers started the game well but it was the hosts who nearly went in front on five minutes when a poor back pass from Matt Crooks nearly put his ‘keeper Viktor Johansson in trouble with the Swede having to race out of his goal to get to the ball before Adam Armstrong. A better cross from Kyle Vassell five minutes later might have reached a Rotherham forward who might have got a shot away. At the other end the Millers defence switched off and Sam Gallagher had a free shot, though from a difficult angle, with the ball landing on top of the net. On the quarter of an hour mark Jamie Lindsay got the ball to Matthew Olosunde who ran into the area putting the ball across the goal line with Michael Smith just needing to stick out a foot for a good chance at goal. The first corner of the game went to the hosts on eighteen minutes which was flashed across goal with Olosunde doing well to clear to safety. Gallagher did well initially for Rovers but the Millers defence closed him down with the ball eventually falling to Barry Douglas whose shot from outside the area was well wide. A minute later the Millers came close when Vassell did well to get the better of his marker but made a bit of a hash from a good ball sent to him from Michael Smith his blushes being saved by a linesman’s flag. Just before the half-hour Olosunde did well twisting and turning his way into the area before sending the ball across the face of goal but there wasn’t a Millers player there to help it into the net. On thirty-two minutes Joe Rothwell did well for Blackburn with his bent effort bringing off a great save from Johansson. A couple of minutes later a shot from Armstrong was charged down by Barlaser with Ben Wiles sending the ball down the pitch to safety. Vassell tussled the ball off Barry Douglas and sent a good ball in towards Smith but Darragh Lenihan stopped the Millers’ striker getting a shot away. Michael Ihiekwe was the first to see yellow after a foul on Gallagher with the resulting free-kick ending in an offside flag. At the other end Daniel Ayala gave the Millers a free-kick which Dan Barlaser took finding the head of Smith who put it over. A long pass from Rothwell saw Johansson quick to react getting down to smother the ball before Armstrong could get near. Olosunde did well to get to the ball before Gallagher after a long pass and won a free-kick which Johansson took and it eventually ended with a free-kick further down the pitch for the the Millers which was scooped away by Rothwell. A good half with the sides going in nil-nil at half-time.

Blackburn had a chance in the opening minutes of the first half when a pass from Joe Rothwell was spot on for Adam Armstrong but his shot only found the side netting. Pressure from Rotherham saw the visitors get the ball into the box from Dan Barlaser towards Michael Smith but Rovers’ ‘keeper Thomas Kaminski was there before him. Kyle Vassell got himself into some space and tried a shot which went wide before Barry Douglas saw yellow after putting his arms around Matthew Olosunde with the free-kick coming to nothing. Tony Mowbray made the first changes of the game bringing on Stewart Downing and Amari’i Bell for Douglas and Rothwell. Around the hour mark a bit of head tennis saw the ball sent to Michael Smith from Matt Crooks and a couple of touches saw the Rotherham striker shoot finding the back of the net to put the visitors in front. Jamie Lindsay saw yellow for the Millers and while Michael Ihiekwe was receiving treatment the hosts made two more changes with Lewis Holtby and Tom Trybull on for John Buckley and Bradley Johnson. Vassell had a chance which he wasted before a good save from Viktor Johansson from Downing saw the hosts get a corner which ended with an offside flag after a shot from Gallagher. Paul Warne made three changes fetching on George Hirst, Freddie Ladapo and Wes Harding for Smith, Vassell and Ben Wiles. Crooks did well to steal the ball in a good position but put the ball wide before he was probably a bit fortuitous to get the ball to Hirst whose good work saw him try to find Ladapo on the line who couldn’t get his head to it. At the other end a slip from Lindsay saw Rovers get a corner which was taken short and cleared by Richard Wood And with the hosts putting on the pressure it was ten minutes before the end that Blackburn pulled it back to one-one after Armstrong threaded the ball through to Harvey Elliott, on loan from Liverpool, who smacked the ball into the net. Wood did well to stop Gallagher in the area with Harding doing equally well to usher the ball out for a goal kick minutes later. The final minute of the ninety saw Rovers last change when Tyrhys Dolan replaced Gallagher. It was backs to the wind for the Millers in the final minutes of the game with the defence doing well and although Bell headed into the net he was well off side. Ryan Nyambi’s high challenge on Harding saw him get a yellow which was followed by Billy Jones coming on for Dan Barlaser. In time added on Matt Crooks was booked for what we presume was time wasting. With a minute of the seven added on gone Ladapo came close to getting a winner for the visitors when he crashed through a host of defenders only to see his header go inches wide. And the Millers were to pay for that miss when Crooks gave a free-kick away near the box and with the defence only getting it out as far as Ayala who found Armstrong with the Rovers’ striker putting the ball into the left corner of the net to see the hosts steal the three points.

It was a cruel blow for Rotherham after they’d held out and I think Rovers will think themselves lucky to get all three points.

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