Rotherham United fans will be disappointed with a point at home against Tranmere Rovers yesterday with what was practically the last kick of the game. But, I suppose, we should look at it as ‘it’s the first home point of the season’ and it’s something to build upon.
Looking at the match stats there wasn’t a lot to chose between the sides – the Millers had six per cent more possession and were better with the duels – including the aerial duels which actually surprises me.
Both sides had seven corners while our passing accuracy both around the pitch and in the opponents half was better than the visitors. Rotherham had eleven shots at goal of which three were on target with Tranmere having twelve shots and four on target.
Actually, in a game that was very much stop-and-start, I don’t suppose twenty-three shots at goal is that bad. Both teams were as bad as one another but I think one thing we have to learn is that teams are going to come to the New York Stadium to frustrate us, not let us play a flowing game because, after all, we are in League One and not the Championship – though the officials are just as bad, if not worse.
The best thing about the game is probably the way our newest player Chiedozie Ogbene, who was rather thrown in at the deep end on twelve minutes, impressed and that Ben Wiles finally got a goal to call his own!
We make the short journey to the Keepmoat next Saturday to take on Doncaster Rovers – don’t forget it’s a 1230 kick-off.
New York Stadium
League One
31/08/2019 4:00 pm
Attendance: 8691
Referee: Andy Haines
| Rotherham United | Tranmere Rovers | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wiles (73) | Payne (90+5) | ||||||
| Iversen | Davies | ||||||
| Olosunde | Nelson (Woods 90) | ||||||
| Robertson | Ridehalgh | ||||||
| Ihiekwe | Ray | ||||||
| Wood | Monthe | ||||||
| Barlaser (Lindsay 45) | Potter | ||||||
| Wiles | Jennings | ||||||
| Crooks | Perkins | ||||||
| Smith | Morris | ||||||
| Ladapo (Mattock 89) | Payne | ||||||
| Vassell (Ogbene 12) | Mullin (Hepburn-Murphy 75) | ||||||
Substitutes |
|||||||
| Bilboe | Pillings | ||||||
| Mattock | Woods | ||||||
| Southern-Cooper | Gilmour | ||||||
| Thompson | Maddox | ||||||
| Lindsay | Hepburn-Murphy | ||||||
| MacDonald | Ponticelli | ||||||
| Ogbene | Walker-Rice | ||||||
Game Statistics |
||
| 11 | Goal attempts | 12 |
| 3 | On Target | 4 |
| 7 | Corners | 7 |
| 15 | Fouls | 19 |
| 1 | Yellow Cards | 3 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 53 | % | 47 |