Point On The Road For Millers

Charlton Athletic 1 Rotherham United 1
Washington (83)         Miller (45+2)

This wasn’t the most entertaining game of football we might see but a point a piece is probably the right result giving the Millers ten undefeated league games in a row.

It was a good start for Rotherham with Mickel Miller flying down the pitch and putting in a great cross towards Wes Harding at the far post but the ball falls into the arms of Charlton ‘keeper Craig MacGillivray. A ball halfway down the pitch produced the first yellow of the game with Dan Barlaser and Jayden Stockley going up for it, the Charlton player elbowing Barlaser onto the floor and getting booked. Freddie Ladapo did well to get the ball to the edge of the area before putting it back for Barlaser who saw his shot go just wide followed by the first chance for Charlton when a good cross in from Chris Gunter was headed just wide by Connor Washington. At the other end Ladapo was quick to get to a loose ball with his shoot deflected behind before the Millers had a good appeal for a penalty after Ben Wiles ran into the area only to be brought down by Jason Pearce who was lucky to see the flag go up for offside. Josh Vickers in the Rotherham net did well to get down to a shot from Alex Gilbey before a super cross in from Diallang Jaiyesimi was ushered away from Stockley by Harding. Vickers again had to be aware when a shot from Jaiyesimi came at him before Wiles flew down the other end easing past his marker and sending the ball towards Michael Ihiekwe in the area who saw his header go over. Michael Smith was almost the recipient of some poor work between MacGillivray and Pearce but he couldn’t quite get to it before the ‘keeper. Akin Famewo was the next to get a yellow for dragging Ollie Rathbone down which was soon followed by one for Wiles for what Mr Oldham deemed a foul. A cross from Jaiyesimi found Stockley who put the ball back across goal with Washington heading straight into the waiting arms of Vickers. A challenge on Pearce brought Smith a yellow card with the Millers player doing well minutes later playing a one-two with Barlaser only for his shot to be blocked. Two minutes into added time the Millers took the lead after a throw in from Harding went short to Wiles who returned the ball with Harding crossing to Richard Wood in the area whose header down found Miller who struck the ball into the net for his first league goal for Rotherham. Despite protests from the hosts the Millers went in one up at half-time.

Charlton came out much the better for the second half with Josh Vickers having to catch the ball from a Elliott Lee free-kick early on. Michael Ihiekwe got the first yellow of the half for a trip on Lee before Diallang Jaiyesimi saw a shot rise over the crossbar. Vickers did well again to deny Connor Washington from close range before Rarmani Edmonds-Green blocked a shot from Jayden Stockley. After a shot from Lee was blocked by Rotherham skipper Richard Wood it fell to Alex Gilbey who shot over. After a poor challenge the referee let Ihiekwe off with a talking too and soon afterwards he was subbed the Millers fetching on Chieo Ogbene in his place. On the hour mark a super ball from Ollie Rathbone saw him find Michael Smith who saw his shot saved by the fingertips of Craig MacGillivray. Dan Barlaser took the corner finding the head of Freddie Ladapo who saw the home ‘keeper again in good form. Mickel Miller went down and was replaced by Shane Ferguson for the visitors. A cross from Chris Gunter was heading towards Stockley before Edmonds-Green had other ideas and cleared before a great chance to double their lead fell to Rotherham after Rathbone found Ogbene on the run who sent the ball back in to Ferguson only for the sub to get the ball on his wrong foot and put the ball into the travelling fans behind the goal. A change for Charlton saw Corey Blackett-Taylor replace Diallang Jaiyesimi followed by Rotherham’s last substitution seeing Ben Wiles make way for Hakeem Odoffin for the final ten minutes. On the eighty-third minute the Addicks got the equaliser, which, to be fair, was coming. Lee hoisted the ball into the area which found Washington who drove at the goal letting fly seeing it go into the net taking a touch from a Millers’ defender on it’s way. Ogbene went down under a challenge from Ben Purrington which saw the former Miller’s loanee see yellow. Barlaser got the ball to Odoffin who tried his luck from outside the box his effort rising all the time. In time added on Lee won a free-kick in a good position off Barlaser who was the latest to go into the book, which Lee struck bringing off a good save from Vickers.

I think the Millers had the better of the first half with Charlton doing more in the second half. All in all a point away from home is not to be sniffed at.

Referee – Scott Oldham

Attendance – 12,592 – 300+ Millers