Point At Home For Millers

Rotherham United 1 Queens Park Rangers 1
Kelly 70                             Chair 50


Rotherham United have ‘super sub’ Georgie Kelly and ‘keeper Viktor Johansson to thank for the point they got at home this afternoon against fellow strugglers Queens Park Rangers.

It was the Millers dedicated Remembrance Day at the New York Stadium where veterans took to the pitch alongside the players and officials for a rendition of The Last Post and a minutes silence to remember our fallen servicemen and women.


A bright opening for the Millers saw Dexter Lembikisa get the ball and send it forward for Ollie Rathbone but it didn’t reach him before a ball from Jordan Hugill for Sam Clucas brought the offside flag. Hakeem Odoffin, making his first start since mid-September, did well to stop a good cross from Ilias Chair reaching Chris Willock before a great ball across field from Kenneth Paal found Chair who saw his shot from distance go just wide of the upright. The first yellow of the afternoon went to Chair after the Millers won a free-kick and the Belgium born midfielder kicked the ball away. Two minutes later referee Sam Barrott evened the yellow cards up by producing one for Cohen Bramall, despite him getting the ball, after Paul Smyth went down. A free-kick for the hosts was taken by Cafu who found Odoffin his flick in turn finding Sean Morrison who sent the ball to Christ Tiehi who brought off a good save from Rangers’ ‘keeper Asmir Begovic the resulting Cafu corner going over everyone and out. Minutes later Ollie Rathbone danced his way forward before sending the ball into the box but somehow Hugill and Fred Onyedinma got in each others way before Hugill had a chance but his shot always rising before going over the crossbar. A good ball over the top from Morrison found Hugill who tried to pull the ball back for Sam Clucas but the ball went past him. A foul on Smyth saw Clucas booked followed by Chair worked himself into space his shot going just past the post. Some good work from Hugill saw him send the ball to Onyedinma who brought off a save from Begovic the rebound going towards Cafu but he didn’t connect with the ball.

No changes for either team for the second half with the Millers getting an early corner which came to nothing. But five minutes into the half Marti Cifuentes saw his first goal as manager of QPR when a superb cross from Kenneth Paal fell at the feet of Ilias Chair who cut into the box and let fly hammering the ball into top corner of the net to give the visitors the lead. At the other end Cafu looked to find Jordan Hugill but the ball went over his head before some nice work from Dexter Lembikisa won a corner which Lyndon Dykes cleared but only as far as Cohen Bramall who sent it straight back in only for Dykes to climb above everyone else to clear. This was followed by some reflex ‘keeping from Viktor Johansson after Elijah Dixon-Bonner made space for himself to have a shot at goal which the Millers’ ‘keeper got down well to turning it onto the post and cleared. A cross at the other end from Bramall found the head of Cafu who saw the ball go wide before the first change of the game saw Sam Clucas make way for Georgie Kelly. A couple of minutes later Rangers brought on Taylor Richards with Paul Smyth going off with a head injury with Richards soon into the action inside the box only to see his shot well blocked by Bramall. On seventy minutes Kelly won a free-kick which Bramall took finding Kelly in the box, the Millers sub creating room for himself to volley the ball high into the net to make it one-one. Another change for the Millers saw Sam Nombe take over from Jordan Hugill. The rain had poured for most of the second half and Johansson had to be alert when Chair skimmed the ball across the box with the Millers’ Number One saving at the second attempt. Fred Onyedinma won a corner for the hosts which Cafu took finding the head of Hakeem Odoffin who saw his header come off the post with Rangers on the counter with Chris Willock who was stopped in his tracks by Bramall before he had time to shoot or pass. Two changes for the visitors saw Lyndon Dykes and Sinclair Armstrong making way for Albert Adomah and Chris Willock and it was Adomah who sent a lovely ball for Sam Field who shot with Sean Morrison did ever so well to block. At the other end the Millers won a corner which was put into the box and Morrison went down under close attention from a blue and white hooped player but the referee wasn’t interested. With minutes to go Tom Eaves and and Daniel Ayala, making his debut for the Millers, came on for Fred Onyedinma and Sean Morrison which was followed by sub Albert Adomah being subbed by Charlie Kelman and Osman Kaykay coming on for Reggie Cannon. Two minutes into seven added on Johansson did well to repel a cracker of a shot from Kelman with Field first to the rebound putting his shot past the post. At the other end Nombe was dragged to the ground by Jimmy Dunne near the box with Cafu taking the resulting free-kick which went just over Kelly’s head.

A point probably isn’t much good to either side but a point was better than it looked like the Millers were going to get going in at half-time. Some poor decisions on the pitch didn’t help us today – wide passes, over passed kicks, poor positioning, not running back – so perhaps a point was good for us today.

Attendance 10,199 with 1,175 coming up from the Capital

Referee – Samuel Barrott