Millers Win At Moss Rose

Two goals and two red cards in time added on saw Rotherham United continue their good run against Macclesfield Town yesterday in the pouring rain at Moss Rose.

The visitors took an early lead when Mark Burchill, in for virus victim Reuben Reid, reacted quickly to a ball cleared by a Town defender and passed the ball to Dale Tonge, who’s first time shot was smashed high into the top corner of the net. Town came straight back and Terry Dunfield took a free kick that seemed to go past Andy Warrington’s left ear and, luckily for the Millers, past the post. Simon Yeo was then guilty of missing the easiest chance of the game when a terrible back pass from Pablo Mills on eighteen minutes fell to Yeo but with only Warrington to beat he curled his shot onto the crossbar and it went out for a goalkick. On the half-hour mark, the Silkmen had Paul Morgan stretchered off and replaced by James Jennings. And it was the home side who looked more likely to score as they played some nice passing football but didn’t really manage a shot at goal.

The second half started with a long throw from Andy Nicholas which found Nick Fenton but Birchill was just a little too slow to get to the flick on. It was back-to-the-wall for the Millers then as Macclesfield continued to press for an equaliser. And they should have got it when Izak Reid found Martin Gritton in the penalty area but his header went wide and then on the seventieth minute, Warrington parried a fierce shot from Danny Thomas. Mark Robins then made a double substitution, bringing on Richie Barker for the dangerous looking Drewe Broughton and replacing Mark Burchill with defender Mark Joseph. A few minutes later the home side should have scored when young defender, Shaun Brisley found the ball at his feet just three yards out but he fluffed the shot and not long after, Ian Sharps blocked a shot on the line in a goalmouth scramble. Nick Fenton then had a chance for the visitors but saw his header go just wide. In the final minutes, a Tonge corner drifted into the area and a mis-kick from substitute Neil Harvey almost went into his own net but ‘keeper Jon Brain kept it out. It looked like the action was all over in stoppage time when a free kick from Tonge was strongly headed into the area from Sharps and, although it looked like it was going in anyway, Andy Nicholas bundled it over the line to make it two-nil. From the re-start Francis Green got the ball and scored a great overhead kick for the home side. In the celebrations that followed the goal, both James Jennings and Ian Sharps seemed to have a tussle for the ball and referee, Steven Cook, gave both players a second yellow card and their marching orders.

Not that pretty a game but, when all said and done, it’s another three points for the Millers and points is what we want!