Rotherham United 3 Bristol Rovers 0
Vassell (51)
Smith (53)
Ogbene (88
Rotherham United maintained their top of the league status with a three-nil win over Bristol Rovers this afternoon at the New York Stadium with all the goals coming in the second half.
The visitors had the first chance of the game after a good cross from Alex Rodman found former Miller Jonson Clarke-Harris who shot wide with Kyle Vassell winning a corner at the other end which Dan Barlaser took finding the head of Chiedozie Ogbene but the tight angle saw the winger put the ball out for a goal-kick. Minutes later some superb play from Ben Wiles, again playing out of position, saw his curling cross find the head of Michael Smith only for the striker to see the ball go just over the crossbar. Skipper Richard Wood got his head to a Barlaser free-kick but the Rovers defence cleared a cross from Matt Crooks found Ogbene whose low cross into the area was again cleared by Rovers. At the other end Woods did well to put Clarke-Harris off with the visitors winning a corner which came to nothing before Hakeeb Adelakun had a go from distance for the hosts with his shot going went well wide. The first booking of the game went to Crooks for a late challenge on Gavin Reilly with Millers’ ‘keeper Daniel Iversen doing well to punch away the resulting Clarke-Harris free-kick. Wiles, Barlaser and Adelakun worked a good move down the left with the latter seeing his cross into the box blocked leaving the teams goalless at half-time.
The second half began with the Millers upping the pace and had a couple of chances before Chiedozie Ogbene flew down the wing on fifty-one minutes crossing into the box for Kyle Vassell to head past Rovers’ ‘keeper Jordi van Stappershoef and make it one-nil to the hosts. Two minutes later it was two when again Ogbene did his magic down the wing this time picking out Michael Smith in the area whose powerful header flew into the net sending the majority of the eight thousand two hundred fans into a chorus of ‘we’re Rotherham United, we’re top of the league’. And it might have been more three minutes later if Hakeeb Adelakun’s shot had found the net instead of being put behind for a corner after some good work from Dan Barlaser. The hour mark saw the first substitution with the visitors fetching on Ollie Clarke for Liam Sercombe. Jonson Clarke-Harris made a bit of a mess of things in front of goal after a good ball from Alex Rodman found him before some good work from Matt Crooks saw his shot go over the crossbar. A second substitution for Rovers saw Josh Barrett replaced by Josh Ginnelly with the Millers fetching on Freddie Ladapo for Kyle Vassell with Rovers losing Alfie Kilgour to injury bringing on Tom Davies. Crooks tried to re-create Kyle Vassell’s December winning Goal of the Month with an overhead kick but his effort landed in the Millers fans behind the goal and not in the net with Vassell obviously amused and ‘congratulating’ his fellow team mate for the try. In a flurry of substitutions the Millers brought on Jamie Lindsay for Matt Crooks and a couple of minutes later Julien Lamy came on for Hakeeb Adelakun. After a good cross in from Lamy to Smith Rotherham had a shout for a penalty when the Millers striker was bundled over just inside the area but referee Leigh Doughty wasn’t interested. Wiles did well at the other end to block a shot from Ollie Clarke before Clarke-Harris headed over although the flag was up for off-side. The Sponsors Man of the Match had just been announced as ‘Cheio Ogbene’ when the winger obliged with scoring his first goal in a Millers shirt after Ladapo saw his shot saved by Stappershoef and rebound to Ogbene. A poor challenge on the last Millers goalscorer earned Luke Leahy a yellow card in stoppage time with Alex Rodman also earning a booking for a late foul on Lamy.
Three goals, three points and a clean sheet you really can’t ask for anything else can you.
It was very much a deserved win for Rotherham United this afternoon with every player playing his part as the Millers stay at the top of League One.
Attendance – 8,287 (338 Rovers fans
Referee Leigh Doughty
Its strange how warnes critics have gone quiet caz at one time most of the comment was from critics now it seems there is only me commenting i wonder why
I can’t think why CinL!! It is another great win – he’s got to be in the running for January Manager of the Month you’d think wouldn’t you
by the way another great win for warnes men. how come he missed out on manager of the month