One Down, Three To Go

Rotherham United 3 Queens Park Rangers 1
Ladapo 64, 66                  Dykes 52
Smith 90

Two goals from Freddie Ladapo and another from substitute Michael Smith brought the Millers back from one down to get all three points this evening at the New York Stadium.

Rotherham United started the game with five changes Shaun MacDonald, Freddie Ladapo, Dan Barlaser, Ryan Giles and Clark Robertson back for his first start since February. The visitors made changes too having George Thomas, Niko Hamalainan and Charlie Kelman in the starting eleven.

A bit of a scrappy opening saw Shaun MacDonald stop Stefan Johansen and Lyndon Dykes get away before George Thomas put a shot wide and minutes later Dan Barlaser getting to a Dykes long throw before Yoann Barbet. Wes Harding was the next to block a pass from Kelman before it found Thomas before Robertson doing the same when Thomas tried to play Kelman in followed by some good play from the visitors which ended with Thomas curling the ball wide. The Millers started to get into the game and when skipper for the day Matt Crooks found Barlaser the midfielder took aim but only found Seny Dieng in Rangers’ goal. Ben Wiles won a free-kick which was taken short by Barlaser to Giles who found the head of Robertson who saw the linesman’s flag go up for off-side. On thirty minutes the Millers had a real chance when Crooks went one way then the other to get into the area and shot from a tight angle to see the ball go just wide. A corner at the other end saw Sam Field put the ball over before a long kick from Millers’ ‘keeper Viktor Johansson was collected by Crooks who then found Freddie Ladapo but the whistle blew for a foul. Johansson did well minutes later to keep out a shot from Kelman before a Giles cross in found Crooks whose header ended up on top of the net. The first yellow of the game when to Shaun MacDonald who stopped Thomas from making headway before Angus MacDonald followed him into the box a few minutes later for a silly foul on Dieng as he was about to throw the ball down field. As half time approached Johansson had to be aware to keep a looping shot from Osman Kykay out keeping it goalless at half-time.

After a clash of heads at the end of the first half both Matt Olosunde and Rangers’ Jordy De Wijs didn’t make it out for the second half the Millers fetching on Richard Wood, who took over the skippers armband and Kane coming on for the visitors. A good start for Rotherham saw a cross from Wes Harding find Freddie Ladapo who nodded down for Clark Robertson but he put his shot over the crossbar. And it was Robertson a couple of minutes later who got to a Dan Barlaser corner but the ball went wide. On the fifty-second minute Osman Kayka got the better of Robertson and Lyndon Dykes got away from his marker to shoot into the top of the net to give QPR the lead. Just before the hour mark the Millers brought on Lewis Wing, Jamie Lindsay and Michael Smith for Ben Wiles, Shaun MacDonald and Matt Crooks and within minutes they got an equaliser. The lively Wing sent the ball to Ladapo on the edge of the area who chested it down before shooting finding the net. Game on. Wing himself might have doubled the lead after he was set-up by Smith but put his shot just over but a minute later Ladapo didn’t miss and with the Rangers defence looking decidedly shaky he had a quick look up and put the ball easily past Seny Dieng to make it two-one. The visitors brought on  Macauley Bonne replacing Charlie Kelman. And the striker might have had a hat-trick when a Harding long throw found him but the visiting ‘keeper hooked the ball out of the air. When Dieng tried to take a quick kick out Smith impeded him and saw yellow for his trouble. Ryan Giles crossed into the area but Rob Dickie was there to clear before Wing and Barlaser linked up and a cross for Wood was too near the ‘keeper and saw a yellow for the Millers skipper although he looked like he’d every right to try to get the ball. A Harding throw found Smith who sent the ball to Ladapo but the Millers striker put the ball over. With ten minutes to go Barbet sent a nice ball for Bonne but Johansson dashed out and fell on the ball. QPR replaced Sam Field and George Thomas for Illias Chair and Chris Willock while Freddie Ladapo went off injured and on came Kieran Sadlier to take his place. Great work from Giles down the wing saw him find Wing who then sent the ball to Barlaser with the midfielder’s strike going out off the back of a defender. On the stroke of ninety minutes the hosts won the ball down field with a lovely ball from Lindsay to Smith who flew past his marker to send the ball over the onrushing Dieng to make it three-nil. In the first minute of four added on Johansson did well to collect an awkward shot from Barbet but the game ended with a great Millers win.

Well, did any of us see that coming? I am imagining there are a few bemused faces out there tonight. I have to apologise to my neighbours for whooping round the house when the final whistle went! (not for the first time this season!!)

That is probably one of the better team performances I’ve seen this season – but now we’ve had our half hour of going barmy we have to settle down and get ready for another big game on Thursday.

Well done, lads, we couldn’t have asked for more.

Up The Millers.