The Millers Are Stopping Up

Rotherham United 1 Middlesbrough 0
Odoffin (48)

Rotherham United secured Championship safety for another season with a one-nil win over play-off bound Middlesbrough this afternoon at the New York Stadium.

After winning a corner in the opening minute that Hakeem Odoffin sent over but the whistle went for a foul on the goalkeeper it was the visitors who got into the game with Chuba Akpom getting himself into a good position but was flagged offside followed by Riley McGree getting first the better of Rotherham skipper Richard Wood and then Viktor Johansson in the Millers’ goal only to see Wood get back and clear his shot off the line. The hosts first chance came on ten minutes when confusion in the box saw the ball find Jamie Lindsay whose shot went over the crossbar before some poor work between ‘Boro’s ‘keeper Zack Steffan and his defenders saw Ollie Rathbone claim the ball on the edge of the area and shooting only to see former Miller Dan Barlaser block and send the ball to safety. A few minutes later a cross from McGree found Cameron Archer who sent his shot way over the bar which was followed by a good move from the Millers with the only way to stop Chieo Ogbene was a lunge by Hayden Hackney who saw the first yellow of the afternoon. But it was Rotherham who came off worse with Ogbene receiving treatment on the pitch but having to be replaced on just eighteen minutes which saw Tariqu Fosu on in his place. Middlesbrough had a chance on twenty-five minutes when a cross-come-shot from Isaiah Jones went just over before a Rathbone cross at the other end was just inches away from Jordan Hugill to get a touch too. A foul on Hackney brought a yellow card for Lindsay and a minute later ‘Boro had a shout for a penalty after Akomp had got free before going down on the edge of the area but referee Keith Stroud shook his head. And Mr Stroud was in action straight away at the other end when the ball was about waist height with Hugill and Hackney both going for it, the Rotherham man appealing for handball which wasn’t given. Within a couple of minutes Shane Ferguson went down, the second time resulting in another enforced change for the Millers seeing Ben Wiles coming on from the bench. Barlaser got the ball in a good shooting position but his shot was blocked before Lindsay did well to stop a cross-come-shot from Jones doing any damage as the board went up for a further five minutes. A couple of corners for the visitors came to nothing before the Millers went down the other end with  Anfernee Dijksteel stopping Hugill by fetching him down on the edge of the area and after taking time to think about it Mr Stroud produced a red card seeing ‘Boro down to ten men. The free-kick was in a great area with a couple of red shirts around the ball before Cohen Bramall took it and put it over which was the last action of the half.

The second half was just three minutes old when Ollie Rathbone sought out Hakeem Odoffin in space and he unleashed a cracker of a shot from distance to give Rotherham the lead. ‘Boro made their first change of the game straight after the goal fetching on Tommy Smith for Cameron Archer. The visitors got forward with Marc Bola but before he could get a cross over both Wes Harding and Jamie Lindsay got there to stop him before a Dan Barlalser free-kick was cleared before he got another chance which saw him clear the crossbar with the ball from distance. On the hour mark ‘Boro brought on Alex Mowatt for Hayden Hackney who was straight into the action winning a free-kick which came to nothing. A lovely move from Ben Wiles saw him get the ball to Jordan Hugill but the Millers’ number ten was offside. On the sixty-fifth minute ‘Boro had a great chance when Riley McGree got free of his marker and shot with Richard Wood clearing but only as far as Chuba Akpom who in turn found Smith who blazed over when it looked easier to score. An injury to Hakeem Odoffin saw him treated on the pitch before having to go off, the fourth official then obviously told him he could go back on which he did and was sent back to the touchline by referee Keith Hackett who gave him a yellow card for coming on the pitch – nope, me no understandy either. Odoffin only last a couple of minutes before being replaced by Leo Hjelde while Georgie Kelly came on for Ollie Rathbone. Some good work between Hugill and Kelly, the latter sending a super flick on for the substitute, saw Kelly get into the box and appear to be felled by Patrick McNair with the referee giving nothing. At the other end Wood was on hand again to block a shot from Smith before Cohen Bramall saw yellow for a late challenge on Isaiah Jones. Another familiar face joined the Middlesbrough ranks when Matt Crooks came on for Riley McGree with ten minutes to go. A good delivery from Dan Barlaser meant for Crooks was cut out by some good defending from Hugill and ‘Boro themselves asked for a penalty when Cameron Humphries appeared to give Jones a nudge in the back but again Mr Stroud wasn’t interested. Tariqe Fosu got the ball off Baralser and sent Bramall off at blistering pace up the pitch which did nothing but take the ball away from danger before a cross from Bola was stopped by Lindsay who then looked to have turned the ball into his own net before Viktor Johansson came to the rescue with a great diving save. In the four minutes of added on time the Millers defended a free-kick and a corner to get all three points and celebrate with the happy fans in red.

What else can you say except ‘the Reds are stopping up’!


Referee – Keith Stroud

Attendance – 11,508 with 2,212 ‘Boro fans