The Millers Get Away Win!

Cambridge United 0 – 1 Rotherham United
                                                   Nombe (90+2)


Rotherham United got their first away win since Noah was a lad (and how we could have done with his boat building skills this last couple of days) when Sam Nombe came off the bench to score the only goal of the came against Cambridge yesterday evening.

The game survived a 5pm pitch inspection and after a scrappy first few minutes, where both teams won a corner but could do nothing with it, the hosts had a chance when James Gibbons got the ball just outside the box and took aim putting the ball way over the crossbar. At the other end a Joe Rafferty cross found Mallik Wilks who saw a shot blocked before Shaun McWilliams tried his luck from distance which went wide. A corner on eighteen minutes saw Liam Bennet cross into the box finding the head of Dan Nlundulu who headed over before Cameron Dawson, in the Rotherham goal, saved from the same player a couple of minutes later. For the next ten minutes it was free-kick after free-kick nothing exciting coming from either side before a Powell ball in hit a retreating Cambridge player and the ball came back off the inside of the post before McWilliams got his head to a ball in the area putting it inches past the upright. Just after the half-hour mark Paul Digby crossed for Korey Smith who saw his shot from just outside the box saved by Dawson. The first booking of the evening went to Paul Digby who pulled back Cohen Bramall who was on a run down the wing. Reece James got forward and sent a ball to Mallik Wilks who was about five yards out but he could only put it high and over the crossbar. There was five minutes of time added on, which, to be honest, was just as drab as the first forty-five.

The hosts had an early chance in the first half when a cross from Liam Bennett found Dan Nlundulu who took aim from inside the box only to see the ball go just wide of the upright. At the other end the Millers had a good chance when a ball into the area from Joe Rafferty found the head of Jonson Clarke-Harris who forced a fingertip save off U’s ‘keeper Reyes Nunez before the ball found it’s way out to Joseph Hungbo who shot just wide. A free-kick for the hosts was taken by James Brophy who sent the ball to Danny Andrew just outside the box, the defender shooting but seeing the ball go high and wide. Another chance for the hosts came on the hour mark when Nlundulu left the Millers defence behind and only some neat goalkeeping from Cameron Dawson kept the ball out of the net. James Brophy saw the first yellow of the second half for a foul on Joe Powell and from the resulting Powell free-kick Jamie McCart saw his header blocked and go to safety. A push on McCart brought Dan Nlundulu a booking which was followed by changes for both sides, Cambridge bringing off Brandon Njoku and Dan Nlundulu for Elias Kachunga and Ryan Loft while Shaun McWilliams and Joseph Hungbo made way for Christ Tiehi and Sam Nombe. Some good work from the hosts saw the ball put into the box and in his hurry to put it behind Cameron Humphreys came close to putting the ball in his own net with only his goalkeeper saving his blushes. The visitors were keeping the ball well but couldn’t do much with it before a Danny Andrew cross found the head of Michael Morrison who brought off a save from Dawson. More changes for the Millers saw Jordan Hugill and Jack Holmes replace Jonson Clarke-Harris and Mallik Wilks. It looked like it was going to be a point a piece when the Fourth Official put three minutes up on the board but two minutes into those a throw-in for the visitors found Powell who sent a cracking ball into the box for Nombe to run onto and despite either being tripped or slipping the Rotherham sub got his head to it and the ball ended up in the net sending the travelling fans wild. As the game re-started there was an altercation between Hugill and Loft with both players receiving a yellow card. The resulting free-kick to the hosts came to nothing and referee Darren Drysdale blew for full-time. As the Millers players went to celebrate the first away win since November 2022 Cambridge Manager, Garry Monk, raced onto the pitch to confront Mr Drysdale and was shown a red card for his troubles.

Three points away from home! It’s been such a long time since we’ve said that. It wasn’t the greatest of games with neither team picking up the pace until mid-way through the second half – but you can’t sniff at three away points, even if it was against the bottom team in the league.

Attendance – 5085 – 384 Millers

Referee – Darren Drysdale