Rotherham United make the long trek down to Devon for Saturday’s game at Home Park against Plymouth Argyle when Gavin Ward from Surrey has the whistle.
Gavin was in charge of our match earlier this year at the Stadium of Light which saw Hakeem Odoffin put the Millers in front on twenty minutes. The lead lasted just two minutes with Jobe Bellingham equalising and then getting the winner seven minutes into the second half. There were three yellow cards that afternoon one of those going to Cohen Bramall.
The time before that when Gavin was in the middle for a Millers game was in February 2023 at the Liberty Stadium when Joel Piroe opened the scoring for Swansea City but Rotherham got a point thanks to a Chieo Ogbene goal. He had been in charge of two previous games that season the first being in August at the New York Stadium when two goals from Richard Wood gave Rotherham the win over Birmingham City. Our New Years Day game away at Millwall saw him also in the middle when the game got off to a bad start with Tom Bradshaw putting the hosts in front on just four minutes. An unfortunate own goal from Cameron Humphreys made it two and Bradshaw got another ten minutes from time.
The Millers and Gavin also met in November 2021 at Portman Road with Ben Wiles and Shane Ferguson giving Rotherham a two-nil win. Of the four cards Gavin dished out that night three went to Millers players Michael Ihiewke, Dan Barlaser and Jamie Lindsay.
Before that he was in charge of our Championship game in February 2021 at Deepdale when a Joe Rafferty own goal gave Rotherham the lead in the opening minute which they doubled ten minutes into the second half thanks to Ben Wiles. Preston pulled one back on the sixty-fifth minute with a goal from Ched Evans but the Millers held on for all three points. Earlier that season Gavin was in the middle for a Rotherham game when the Millers travelled to Watford when two goals in the first quarter-of-an-hour of the game gave the host all three points. Billy Jones and Michael Ihiekwe saw yellow that Tuesday evening.
October 2018 at the New York Stadium was another time Gavin was in the middle which was a goalless draw with Bristol City and in September 2017 in League One at Portman Road when a Jon Taylor goal on the thirty-sixth minute gave Rotherham a win over Ipswich Town and former Boss Kenny Jackett.
He was in charge of a Millers match in February 2015 when Ipswich Town were the visitors to the New York Stadium. Matt Derbyshire put the Millers ahead on the thirty-eighth minute with a Conor Salmon goal on sixty-four minutes making it two-nil to the hosts. Zeki Fryers, who was on loan from Crystal Palace, saw yellow for the Millers that day. A month after the game Zeki joined Ipswich on loan until the end of the season and just over a year later in March 2014 for our two-one win over Bristol City. James Tavernier opened the scoring on just two minutes but Wade Elliott equalised for the Robins three minutes into the second half. On the hour mark another goal from Tavernier gave the Millers all three points. That season we also had him officiate our three-nil loss to Crawley Town in March.
The season before Gavin had been in the middle for our FA Cup game at the EEB Stadium against Aldershot. A hat-trick from Danny Hilton for the hosts gave them a three-nil lead before Mr Ward gave the Millers a penalty which Lee Frecklington put away. Kari Arnason (84 minutes) and Hylton (85 minutes) saw red cards that day.
September 2011 saw Gavin at Don Valley which saw the Millers beat visitors Dagenham and Redbridge three-one. Gareth Evans opened the scoring on eight minutes only for Scott Doe to equalise thirteen minutes later. Two goals from Lewis Grabban before half-time gave the Millers the win. Marcus Marshall of the Millers and the Daggers’ Damien McCrory were booked that day.
A goalless draw away at Brentford was the game Gavin was in charge of in August 2008 with the only card of the day being a yellow for Rotherham’s Reuben Reid.
Gavin’s first time in charge of a Rotherham game was at Millmoor in December 2007 where he sent off Matty Crowell of Wrexham on fourteen minutes for a two footed lunge at Millers loanee, Ian Ross. Five minutes before half-time Derek Holmes put the home side in front, getting a second on seventy-two minutes. Marc Newsham pitched in with a third ten minutes from time to give the Millers a well deserved victory.
In the fourteen games Gavin has been in the middle for this season he has shown fifty-three yellow cards.
Running the line on Saturday will be Lee Venamore and Alex James while John Busby is the Fourth Official.
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