Rotherham United take on Stoke City at the New York Stadium on Saturday when David Webb from County Durham is in charge of this tea-time kick-off live for television game.
This is David’s second time with the whistle at the New York Stadium this season, the first being the first home game of the season in August when a Michael Smith goal in the dying minutes of the game gave the Millers a one-nil win over Ipswich Town.
The first time David was in charge of a Millers game was his second League game of his career. Chester City were the visitors at Don Valley and with the Millers needing as many points as possible to get to nil, after starting on minus points, it was Ian Sharps who opened the scoring on just two minutes. Reuben Reid made it two-nil on fourteen minutes but they were pegged back to two-one four minutes later when Kevin Ellison, then with City, pulled one back for the Blues. On twenty-seven minutes Alex Rhodes made it three-one and that’s how it stopped and brought the Millers to minus-eight points.
This will be the fourth time David has been in charge of the Millers at the New York Stadium. The last time was in March 2016 in a game that saw six goals. Visitors Derby County went three-nil up with second half goals from Tom Ince (two) and Chris Martin. With seven minutes of the game left Danny Ward got what looked like a consolation goal for the hosts but Leon Best, who had come off the subs bench on sixty-nine minutes, made it first three-two then got a final minute goal to give Rotherham a point.
August 2014 saw David at the New York Stadium when Watford were in town. Second half goals from Lloyd Dyer and Gianni Munari gave the visitors all three points that evening. Craig Morgan and Richie Smallwood saw yellow that night along with Watford’s Gabriel Tamas and Keith Andrews.
The time before David was at the New York Stadium was in January 2013. Bristol Rovers were the visitors and the game was only ‘on’ after two hundred fans, from both sides, helped clear the pitch of snow. Claude Davis was making his debut and what a debut it was! In the opening ten minutes David Webb gave him a yellow card and two minutes before half-time he gave a penalty away which Lee Brown duly put away. On the stroke of half-time Claude got a second yellow cards and the Millers spent the whole of the second half with ten men. On fifty-two minutes Rovers went two up when Ellis Harrison scored and ten minutes later Joe Anyinsah made it three. Seventeen minutes from time David Noble, on for Lee Frecklington, got a consolation for the hosts.
Earlier that season David was in the middle for our nil-nil draw against York City at Bootham Crescent.
September 2011 saw the Millers get a point at Accrington with a one-all draw. Ryan Cresswell gave the visitors the lead on thirty-eight minutes but seven minutes from time Sean Hessey got an equaliser for Stanley. David Webb booked Hessey on the night plus Danny Schofield of the Millers.
David was also in the middle for our League Two game at Morecambe in August 2010 which ended goalless and also our goalless draw at Don Valley against Bury seven months later.
The season before the Millers entertained Derby County at Don Valley which saw Gary Teale put the Rams one up on eleven minutes. Paul Warne got an equaliser for the Millers a minute before half-time with a sixty-fifth Kevin Ellison goal giving them the win. David showed just one yellow card that day which was to Paul Connolly of Derby. Later that season he was in charge of our game at Gigg Lane which Bury won two-one. Kevin Ellison put Rotherham in front on the stroke of half time but three minutes into the second half Ryan Lowe equalised with Richard Baker giving them the win six minutes from time.
April 2009 saw David in the middle for our game at Millmoor against Shrewsbury Town. The Shrews went in at half-time one up after a goal from Nick Chardwick with Ryan Taylor getting an equaliser for the hosts on seventy minutes. Unfortunately for the Millers six minutes later an Ian Sharpe own goal gave the visitors all three points.
Running the line at the New York Stadium we have Steven Meredith and Mark Russell with Lancashire’s Darren Bond being the Fourth Official.
