Match Reports

Red Card Doesn’t Help The Millers Cause

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Rotherham United 1 Middlesbrough 2

A MacDonald (3)             Saville (33), Akpom (55)

Rotherham United had six games at the start of this one to save their season with Paul Warne making four changes from Sunday’s defeat at home to Birmingham. In came long-termed injured Joe Mattock and Kieran Sadlier, Dan Barlaser and Ben Wiles who all started on the bench. Lewis Wing couldn’t play because Middlesbrough is his parent club while Clark Robertson and Shaun MacDonald had picked up knocks while Richard Wood also dropped to the bench. Neil Warnock brought in Marvin Johnson and Chuba Akpom to the starting eleven and had an interesting bench made up mostly of young players who hadn’t played in a ‘Boro shirt before.

Rotherham had the perfect start when a Joe Mattock corner was floated into the box finding the head of Angus MacDonald who headed in his first Millers goal giving the hosts an early lead. Kieran Sadlier then got past Johnson looking for Michael Smith only managed to find Grant Hall who put the ball to safety. Then lady-luck appeared for the Millers when Middlesbrough put the ball into the box with MacDonald shielding the ball for Rotherham ‘keeper Viktor Johansson to get down to it but then the ball skidded out of his hands and Duncan Watmore hit the ball into an empty net with referee Bond saying the visiting striker had kicked the ball from the hands of the goalie. Johansson then claimed the ball from a Yannick Bolasie cross before a Bolasie cross found the head of Chuba Akpom but he headed out. Another chance for the visitors saw Sadlier on the line to clear but only as far as Bolaise whose shot went out for a corner which came to nothing. Smith sent Freddie Ladapo on his way with Jordan Archer in the Middlesbrough goal saving at the near post. A throw-in from Wes Harding found Sadlier who crossed into the area for Michael Ihiekwe who headed just wide. On nineteen minutes a clash of heads saw Hall fall to the floor and Mr Bond show a straight red to Matt Crooks which was a surprise to everyone watching. Hall had to go off and was replaced by Connor Malley making his debut for the visitors. Middlesbrough had a good chance to equalise on the half-hour mark with Bolaise putting over from just outside the box. But three minutes later a Neeskens Kebano short corner saw him get it straight back and running into the box passing to George Saville who hit the ball into the top of the net to make it one-one. Five minutes later a shot from Jonny Howson rebounded off the crossbar for Akpom who saw his shot hit the post. Johansson had to be aware and did well to hold onto a shot through a host of players from the substitute with Harding having to be on his mettle to turn a cross come shot from Bolaise round the post.

The Millers started the second half with a couple of changes with Matt Olosunde and Jamie Lindsay on for Joe Mattock and Dan Barlaser. Much of the second half was played in the Rotherham half and Yannick Bolaise was in acres of space when he shot over the crossbar. Michael Ihiekwe did well minutes later to stop a Neekens Kebano reaching Chuba Akpom in space but ten minutes into the half nobody could stop a second goal for the visitors. A free-kick in saw Viktor Johansson punch out but only as far as Paddy McNair who put the ball straight back in with Akpom getting on the end of it and shooting home. More good work from Kebano got the better of his marker and sent the ball up for Jonny Howson who saw his header thump the crossbar. A foul by Lindsay saw yellow with George Saville then seeing a shot blocked. A rare forage up the other end saw a Harding free-kick headed on by Ihiekwe to Freddie Ladapo who stretched but saw the ball go wide while Johansson did well to tip a fizzing shot from Kebano round the post. Another Millers free-kick saw Ladapo hook the ball over the crossbar. Chieo Ogbene came off the bench for the Millers for Kieran Sadlier who was fouled by Saville with the Middlesbrough player getting a yellow card. Wes Harding then made way for Ryan Giles for the hosts followed by a yellow card for a Smith for a foul on Marvin Johnson. Angus MacDonald did well to block a shot from Kebano with the corner being well saved by Johansson and minutes later he did well to save from Akpom. MacDonald again stopped Johnson getting the ball to Akpom before Duncan Watmore got into the area with Johansson getting it away but only as far as Johnson who again couldn’t get past MacDonald. A tired looking Michael Smith was replaced by George Hirst with eight minutes to go. A chance for the hosts saw the ball floated into the box hitting a few heads before falling to Ladapo who turned but fired over. Middlesbrough brought on Josh Coburn, another debutante, for Yannick Bolasie with yellow cards for Paddy McNair and Neeskens Kebano of ‘Boro in time added on.

A third home loss in a row – all shown live on TV – for Rotherham and I now think the fat lady is warming her vocal chords up unless lady luck comes acalling for the remaining games.

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