Millers win derby

Rotherham United have the bragging rights this weekend after they beat local rivals Chesterfield 3-0 at Don Valley.

The first half was a drab affair with both teams squandering chances. Jack Lester had the first chance for the visitors on ten minutes but Andy Warrington got down low and saved. At the other end Tommy Lee made a good save from ex Spirite, Mark Hudson before the miss of the day when Jamie Lowry seemed to walk into the penalty area unchallenged and laid the ball off to Martin Gritton. With an empty goal at his mercy, Gritton side footed the ball into the side netting. Warrington had to save again from Jack Lester before a Gregor Robertson free kick found Aaron Downes who glanced the ball past Warrington into the net, only to see the flag raised for offside. Five minutes later, Reuben Reid latched onto a pass from Micky Cummins and slammed the ball past Lee for the Millers first. In time added on the Spirites could have got an equaliser when Lewis Montrose came in from the right and fired just over, although I think Warrington would have had it covered.

The second half started with Hudson blazing over from just outside the penalty area and the nippy Jamie Clarke having a shot that somehow the Chesterfield defenders got away. Five minutes later skipper, Pablo Mills found Drewe Broughton who’s flick on found Reid. The striker lobbed the ball over Lee into the bottom corner to make it two-nil. Lee then brought off a good save from Cummins who had recieved the ball from a lively Jamie Green before Warrington, at the other end, dived to fingertip away a Robertson free kick. With fifteen minutes to go, Warrington was called into action again, when Jack Lester found himself with enough time and room to turn and strike the ball towards goal, but the tall ‘keeper made a brilliant save. On the seventy-ninth minute, Drew Talbot came in with a late challenge on Dale Tonge, sending the defender sprawling. The referee gave Talbot his second yellow card and he was off for an early bath. Jamie Green was then forced off with an injury and Marc Joseph replaced him and not long after Mills collected the ball and drilled it into into the net for his first of the season and the Millers third of the game. After that the ‘hola’s’ started from the crowd while the Millers seemed to be playing with the Spirites for the last ten minutes of the game.

According to stats, this is the first time the Millers have ever put three past Chesterfield on their own patch in the League, although it has been done in the League Cup in 1876 – and no, I wasn’t there to see it!!!