Millers Through To Next Round Of Vertu Trophy

Rotherham United 3-2 Tranmere Rovers
Clarke-Harris (pen 24)      Dennis (85)
Jules (48)                              Patrick (90+8)
Odoffin (90)


Rotherham United fielded a strong starting line up which included Andre Green’s first start since October 2023 against Tranmere this evening in a game that saw five goals and a red card.

Shaun McWilliams won an early free-kick in a good position which Jonson Clarke-Harris sent straight into the wall. Two minutes later the ball found it’s way back into the box from Mallik Wilks finding the head of Green who sent it into the arms of Rovers’ ‘keeper Joe Murphy. The visitors went down the middle finding Harvey Saunders whose flicked header went out for a goal kick. Another long ball forward for Tranmere looking for Saunders was blocked and cleared by the Millers defence before McWilliams eased the ball off his marker winning a corner for the hosts which came in from Powell finding the head of Green before Declan Drysdale put it out for a corner at the other side which came to nothing. Another Powell corner was sent into the box looking for Hakeem Odoffin but it was just a bit too far for him. A defensive mistake saw Saunders find himself with the ball putting into the centre of the box which Reece James had to deal with seeing the visitors get a corner but nothing came from it. On twenty-two minutes a foul by Josh Davison on Clarke-Harris saw referee Scott Tallis point straight to the spot. The Millers skipper placed the ball sending the visiting ‘keeper the wrong way to give the hosts the lead. More good work by Green saw him win a throw-in which found its way into the box but nobody was there to do anything with it. A threaded ball by Sam Finley saw Saunders get past his marker in the box and having a shot which only some good ‘keeping with his feet by Millers’ ‘keeper Cameron Dawson got the ball to safety. A Powell corner on thirty-eight minutes was sent short before it found Christ Tiehi who slipped as he shot from outside the area winning a throw-in. At the other end Davison was well shepherded by Zak Jules who stopped him getting a shot away and minutes later Joe Rafferty did well to head away before the ball was sent back into the area where Dawson had an easy catch. In the final minutes of the half a low shot from twenty-five yards out by Sam Taylor saw Dawson get down well to collect. Another break by the visitors saw Saunders fly down the wing before going inside and sending the ball out to Connor Jennings who sent it back in for Davison to head towards goal, Dawson collecting at the second attempt.

A change for the Millers at half-time saw Sam Nombe replace Andre Green. A booking in the first minute for a foul went to Connor Jennings. An early second-half corner for the Millers was taken short by Mallik Wilks to Joe Powell who put it into the area on the head of Zak Jules who nodded home his first goal for Rotherham to make it two-nil. From the kick-off the visitors went straight down the other end with Connor Jennings sending the ball in for Sam Taylor who put the ball high and wide. Wilks did well to get the ball to Nombe who twisted and turned winning a corner for the hosts which was sent short before finding Christ Tiehi who saw his shot from outside the area go behind. A minute later more good work from Rotherham saw Nombe pulled down on the edge of the area which resulting in a red card for central-defender Zak Bradshaw. Wilks took the resulting free-kick sending a cracking shot in which got past the wall and bounced off the chest of Rovers’ ‘keeper Joe Murphy. A change for the visitors saw Sam Taylor make way for Connor Wood, Good work from Nombe saw him ride a number of challenges and after a throw in for the Millers was sent in it eventually found Clarke-Harris who was offside which was his last part of the game as he was substituted Jordan Hugill coming on in his place. A sixty-fourth minute corner taken short again by Mallik to Powell was cleared by the Rovers defence but only as far as McWilliams who sent it back in for Wilks who saw his shot defended again. Harvey Saunders made way for Kristian Dennis while Omari Patrick took over from Josh Davison a minute later for the visitors. A centre in from Joe Rafferty found Hugill who saw his header pushed away by Joe Murphy for a corner. Sam Finlay got the better of Nombe and being on his own tried a shot from just over the half-way line which didn’t bother Cameron Dawson. Some great defending by Hakeem Odoffin saw him stop Jennings getting a shot away before Jack Holmes came off the bench, Mallik Wilks going the other way. A one-two twice between Holmes and Nombe saw the latter win a corner which Powell sent in finding Hugill’s head who saw Jordan Turnbull put it behind for another corner which again came in finding Hugill before being sent back in by Nombe who sent it straight into the arms of Murphy. With ten minutes to go another two changes for Rotherham saw Jamie McCart and Joe Hungbo come on for Joe Powell and Shaun McWilliams, who had been receiving treatment on the pitch. A collision between Drysdale and Nombe saw the Millers man get a yellow card. On eighty-four minutes a cross from Patrick found Dennis whose shot from outside the box beat Dawson and found its way into the back of the net to make it two-one. Hungbo got the better of his marker and was fouled for his trouble. Joe Rafferty shot from outside the box only to see the ball blocked before it fell to Hungbo just outside the box who sent a cracking shot at goal seeing it hit the crossbar before coming off finding Odoffin who headed it into an empty net to make it three-one. Two changes for the visitors in time added on saw Connor Jennings and Sam Finlay make way for Sol Solomon and Kieron Morris. A shot from outside the box from Patrick was defended by Jules before it was put out for a goal-kick. But as the seven minutes of time were up Solomon got in much too much room to have a shot which was pushed away by Dawson but only as far as Patrick who put the ball into the net making it three-two.

Well from looking like we’d get an easy win Tranmere came back and made it a difficult last couple of minutes for Rotherham this evening. I thought it was an entertaining game with both sides looking for goals. As a Miller I was pleased to see some good passing from us, really happy to see that the short corners worked and it was good to see some of our injured players getting minutes. And Tranmere did make a game of it despite playing with ten men since the fifty-fourth minute. More of the same on Saturday please.

Referee – Scott Tallis

Attendance – 1,093 (129 Tranmere Fans)