Rotherham United survived twice going behind to League Two Hartlepool last night to go through to the final of the Papa John’s Trophy after a penalty shoot-out.
But what do those stats tell us?
The Millers had the better of the possession with fifty-eight per cent and won fifty-five per cent of the aerial battles. Both teams had three corners with Rotherham’s passing accuracy in the opponents half came out as sixty-one per cent to the host’s forty-seven per cent.
In attack Rotherham had thirteen shots at goal of which ten were outside the box and there were seven on target while Hartlepool had four on target from twelve shots.
Hartlepool had more success in the tackles with sixty-five per cent to the Millers fifty-five per cent while Rotherham conceded thirteen fouls to ‘Pools four. There were five yellow cards in the game four of those to Millers players.
I thought we were the better side for the majority of the game although after Hartlepool had got their first goal it seemed it would be them who would go on and get a second. Luckily they didn’t and we equalised. When ‘Pools scored again my heart fell but this time the Millers kept going and after our second equaliser it was mostly us with the shots on goal.
It’s never fair to go out on penalties – we’ve done it once this season in the FA Cup – but I do think that penalty taking is now an art and, until they find another way to settle a tie, then it’s the only way to go.
Wembley here we come!
The Suit Direct Stadium
Papa John's Trophy
9/03/2022 8:45 pm
Attendance: 7532
Referee: Robert Madley
| Hartlepool United | Rotherham United* | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grey (29), Molyneux (55) | Smith (50,63) * Millers Win On Pens | ||||||
| Killip | Johansson | ||||||
| Sterry | Wood (Ihiekwe 45) | ||||||
| Ferguson | Edmonds-Green | ||||||
| Byrne | MacDonald | ||||||
| Odusina | Osei-Tutu (Ferguson 90+6) | ||||||
| Featherstone | Bola (Ogbene 61) | ||||||
| Shelton | Lindsay (Miller 34) | ||||||
| Crawford | Barlaser | ||||||
| Bogle | Odoffin (Rathbone 45) | ||||||
| Molyneux | Wiles | ||||||
| Grey (Carver 85) | Smith | ||||||
Substitutes |
|||||||
| Bilokapic | Vickers | ||||||
| Francis-Angol | Ihiekwe | ||||||
| Liddle | Mattock | ||||||
| Fletcher | Ferguson | ||||||
| Holohan | Rathbone | ||||||
| Smith | Miller | ||||||
| Carver | Ogbene | ||||||
Game Statistics |
||
| 12 | Goal attempts | 13 |
| 4 | On Target | 7 |
| 3 | Corners | 3 |
| 4 | Fouls | 13 |
| 1 | Yellow Cards | 4 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 42 | % | 58 |