Stalemate For Millers And Rovers

Rotherham United 0-0 Bristol Rovers

Rotherham United played out a goalless draw with Bristol Rovers in their first home league game of the season – but it could have been so much more.

Rovers set off well with Isaac Hutchinson having a shot and a header which came to nothing before Hakeem Odoffin won the hosts a free-kick which also came to nothing. A foul by Alex MacDonald on twelve minutes on Bryant Bilongo saw the Rotherham man get a yellow card which also saw the Millers pump up the pressure with Liam Kelly setting up Sam Nombe who saw his shot blocked before a Reece James pass found Christ Tiehi who spun in the box and smacked the left post with the ball. A foul by Promise Omochere on Cameron Humphries saw another set-piece for the Millers (but notably no yellow card) before another free-kick for the hosts (again no yellow card) was taken by Jonson Clarke-Harris who cracked the ball against the Rovers wall knocking Omochere over and needing treatment. Chances for Rotherham were coming quick and fast and after Josh Griffiths saved from Cameron Humphreys and the ball found Sam Nombe he brought off an equally good save on the line from the Millers’ number eight. At the other end a Grant Ward ball found Hutchinson but it was an easy save for Millers’ ‘keeper Dillon Phillips. On the half-hour mark Nombe won another free-kick which MacDonald took and Griffiths got above everyone to punch clear before Nombe turned provider sending Joe Powell on his way who tried his luck from just outside the box seeing the ball go just wide of the upright. A push and pull by Jamie McCart on Omochere brought the Rotherham defender a yellow card and was followed a couple of minutes later by yet another foul on Nombe (again no yellow – are we seeing a pattern here?). Powell took the resulting set-piece winning a corner which was cleared by the visiting defenders. Another chance for the Millers saw McCart get up high to knock the ball down into the path of Nombe but his shot went wide. In the final few minutes of the first half a good Powell cross found Odoffin in the box who saw his header go inches past the post. A foul on Kelly (finally) brought a yellow card for Ruel Sotiriou, the resulting free-kick being put behind for a corner before Ward brought down Odoffin with the resulting kick bothering nobody. Goalless – somehow – at half-time.

The Millers set off in the second half like they had played in the first with Alex MacDonald winning a free-kick which turned into a corner. The set-piece was taken by Joe Powell who found Christ Tiehi the midfielder seeing his shot from five yards out go inches past the post. A change for the visitors saw Luke McCormick take over from Ruel Sotiriou. Rovers had a chance on fifty-six minutes when a quick break saw a Grant Ward cross find the visitors sub who sent the ball way over the crossbar. Another change for Rovers saw Promise Omochere make way for Chris Martin. A cross into the box from MacDonald found Hakeem Odoffin whose shot kept rising until it went over the crossbar before some nice work from Reece James saw him send the ball to the back post for Tiehi who saw his shot go wide. A triple change for the visitors saw Scott Sinclair, Conor Taylor and Jamie Lindsay, who got applauded from all four stands at the New York Stadium, coming on for Isaac Hutchinson, Bryant Bilongo and Grant Ward. With twenty minutes left the Millers came so close to opening the scoring when a ball from James found McCart in the area who headed the ball onto the crossbar and with it still rattling the Rovers defence managed to clear and minutes later a Nombe cross found Jonson Clarke-Harris in the area who brought off a good save from Josh Griffiths. Two changes for the Millers saw new boy Mallik Wilks and Shaun McWilliams come on for Liam Kelly and Christ Tiehi. A silly foul on eighty minutes from Rotherham captain Clarke-Harris earned him a yellow card before another chance for the Millers saw another free-kick find Odoffin who put the ball just past the upright. More changes for Rotherham saw Jordan Hugill and Esapa Osong replace Jonson Clarke-Harris and Sam Nombe. Wilks won a free-kick for the hosts which found Hugill on the edge of the area his shot just too high before Hugill went down under a challenge from Taylor Moore who received a yellow card for his trouble. A late challenge by Moore just minutes later on Powell saw him a lucky boy not to get a second booking with Powell taking the free-kick finding Cameron Humphreys head who wasn’t far away from scoring.

A point at home might not have been what the Millers wanted and, as I said, earlier, it really should have been more but for various parts of the woodwork, some near misses and some very good goalkeeping from the visitors.


Attendance – 9,414 with 611 making the trip from Bristol

Referee – Neil Hair