Millers Win Again at Home

Rotherham United won their second game at the New York Stadium last night beating neighbours Doncaster Rovers in what was the first game at the new stadium under floodlights.


The Millers, wearing their new mustard away kit (very fetching actually) saw Andy Warrington back in between the posts and he was given the responsibility of the captain`s armband. The visitors had the first chance when Chris Brown quickly turned and shot in the box only for Mark Bradley to block well while at the other end the lively Ben Pringle saw a shot go just wide. On fifteen minutes it was Brown again who found himself free and had a cracker of a shot from close range only to see Warrington make a timely save – with his face! With Pringle continuing to shoot on sight Bradley saw a shot go just past the post and a flick-on from Kayode Odejayi just failed to find Johnny Mullins. Just after the half-hour mark Gary Woods goal was like a battle ground as Jason Taylor was gifted the ball in midfield and got it to Alex Revell who first shot one way to be denied by Woods, got the ball back and shot the other way and again saw the shot blocked by the Rovers` defence before Odejayi thunderous shot was tipped over the bar by the ‘keeper. Towards the end of the half Warrington did well to save from David Cotterill and a few minutes later a clever back-heel from James Husband just failed to reach the Welshman.


The Millers could and probably should have been two up just after the start of the second-half. Lionel Ainsworth saw a shot go just over while Revell looped the ball over a back peddling Jonathan Maxted (on at half-time for Woods) to see his shot hit the post and go out to safety. With it all being the Millers it was a bit of a disappointment when Cotterill got possession of the ball some twenty-five yards out his cracking shot flew into the net. Steve Evans made a number of changes and just after the hour mark it paid off when Mitch Rose (on for Taylor) put a good ball through to Pringle who, in turn, found Bradley and the defender-cum-midfielder took the ball past Husband and slammed the ball into the back of the net for the equaliser. Trialist Kieran Agard came on for Revell and proved to be very lively and, after getting a good ball from Odejayi, he showed some good skill on the edge of the area and fired under Maxted to give the Millers the lead much to the fans delight. In the last ten minutes Odejayi could have made it three after Bradley`s cross found his head but the tall Nigerian put the ball just wide from six yards out.


Another good work out for the Millers last night who probably found Doncaster a better opposition than Barnsley on Saturday.