46 Dinnington and Maltby Guardian Friday 17th April 2009
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A well deserved win
ROTHERHAM United survived a late barrage of attacks to continue their excellent form against Notts County.
The Millers bounced back well from their 2-1 midweek defeat at Barnet to gain all three points.
Mark Hudson finished off a great team move to open the scoring before Reuben Reid’s 10th goal in as many matches seemingly earned his side the three points. But the Magpies didn’t give up. Former Rotherham schoolboy Jonathan Forte pulled one back for the away side, who pressed until the final whistle. At an oddly subdued Don Valley Stadium it was Notts County who started the brighter, and they almost took the lead in the sixth minute. Pacey winger Myles Weston jinked his way down the right wing, before unleashing an impressive drive that hit the Rotherham crossbar. The goalposts may have been rattled but the Millers weren’t. Just two minutes later Ryan Taylor came close before the ball fell to Mark Hudson who dragged his shot wide when he should have done better. Midway through the first half Forte and Weston came close for the visitors, but Rotherham soon found the back of the net. The impressive Ian Sharps stooped in to head home powerfully from a curling corner, but referee Jarnail Singh
Millers 2 Notts County 1
by Simon Peach
sport@worksop-guardian.co.uk
MATCH FACTS
Score: Millers 2 Notts County 1 Rotherham: Warrington, Tonge, Sharps, Fenton, Green, Cummins, Mills, Hudson, Reid, Broughton, R Taylor (Burchill 85) Subs Not Used: Cann, Joseph, Harrison, Clarke Goals: Hudson 44, Reid 69 Notts County: Pilkington, Picken, Edwards, Tann, Clapham, Hamshaw, Butcher, Thompson, Weston, Forte, Facey. Subs Not Used: Forrester, Canham, Strachan, Fairclough, Hunt Booked: Hamshaw, Picken Goal: Forte 75 Attendance: 2,945 Possession Corners Shots (On) Shots (Off) Fouls
County 50% 9 6 2 16
ruled the goal out for an alleged push at the back post by the imposing centre half. As half-time approached, the Millers did eventually break the deadlock. Micky Cummins had the vision and precision to thread the ball through to fellow central midfielder Hudson, who gladly atoned for his earlier miss by finding the back of the net. The Millers continued to press in the second half and Drewe Broughton almost doubled his side’s advantage seven minutes after the re-start. As the half progressed Rotherham
Reuben Reid slips the tackle of Matt Hamshaw
looked increasingly dangerous, and deservedly doubled their lead. After original disgruntlement following a late challenge by County, captain Pablo Mills rushed forward before laying the ball off to Reuben Reid, and in his current form there was only going to be one outcome. Reid slotted the ball past the despairing County keeper to seemingly put his side out of reach, with just over 20 minutes remaining. But the goal seemed to spur County into life and they reduced the deficit with 15 minutes to go – the dangerous
Forte making the most of a rare Nick Fenton mistake. The home support endured a nervy stage as the Magpies threatened, while the Millers defence looked disorganised. Notts County piled bodies forward looking for the elusive equaliser, with Delroy Facey coming the closest, but he could only direct his shot straight at Andy Warrington. Undeterred, the away side continued to push but could not make the most of a bevy of set pieces as the final whistle blew.
A game too far for the weary Millers THE wide open spaces of Vale Park were witness to what was the most heartbreaking moment in Rotherham United’s history, the missed penalty in the penultimate game of season 1954/55. It would have meant a point. Assuming the same result in the final game, a 6-1 win over Liverpool, the Millers would have been in the top flight of football, now the Premier League! Some 22 years on in 1977, with the Vale Park spaces no less wide open, Rotherham went into their last match of the season needing to win by six clear goals to get into what’s now The Championship. Of course, you don’t win away matches by that margin, except the Millers went 4-0 up with 10 minutes to go and hit the bar in the very next minute. On a sliding scale this match was very much down near the bottom compared to those two, but I can’t help thinking that this latest Vale version has put another spoke in the promotion prospects of the Millers. A win for Mark Robins’ merry men and they would have a genuine chance of making an astonishing breakthrough in the final games. Not least because they had contenders for the sole remaining play-off place still to play. But whilst you can still make a case
Millers 0 Port Vale 0
by Les Payne
sport@worksop-guardian.co.uk out for still having a slim chance, Vale Park has probably proved to be the end of the line again because of these dropped points. Whether or not it is through the failure of others to win, it doesn’t matter. The fact that it is still possible at this stage, with four games to go, to get into the playoffs is a remarkable feat anyway for the team. But, more so than Barnet, perhaps this was the game too far. Even so, whilst there was talk of fatigue and the effects of the heavy schedule, they could not have wished for a better chance to have sneaked up a bit further on those above who seem to have forgotten how to win. That's because Port Vale were very poor indeed as an attacking force. As clueless as any opposition we’ve seen. In the second half especially, Messrs Sharps and Fenton strolled through it, so comfy was it. There’s talk of being in third place in ‘real terms.’ Well, if that had been the case then I imagine that, tired or not, the Millers would really have driven at it and gone for the home
Team Brentford Exeter City Wycombe Bury Rochdale Gillingham Chesterfield Shrewsbury Bradford City Dagenham Morecambe Lincoln City Darlington Rotherham Aldershot Accrington Barnet Notts County Port Vale Macclesfield Bournemouth Grimsby Town Chester City Luton Town
P 42 43 42 43 43 43 43 43 43 42 42 43 43 42 43 43 43 43 43 43 43 43 43 42
W 20 20 18 19 19 19 16 15 16 16 14 14 18 20 13 12 11 10 12 12 14 8 8 13
D 16 12 17 14 12 11 15 17 13 11 17 16 12 12 11 11 14 14 8 7 12 13 12 15
L 6 11 7 10 12 13 12 11 14 15 11 13 13 10 19 20 18 19 23 24 17 22 23 14
F 56 61 48 59 69 56 62 57 61 67 48 53 56 56 55 41 53 47 41 43 51 47 40 56
A 32 48 30 43 55 55 53 42 52 50 47 49 40 38 75 55 69 64 61 73 50 67 75 60
P 76 72 71 71 69 68 63 62 61 59 59 58 56 55 50 47 47 44 44 43 37 37 36 24
FIXTURES
STATISTICS Millers 50% 2 8 7 11
LEAGUE TWO
side when they realised they had so little to offer. Yes, they spent all the second half on the offensive but perhaps that lack of the ‘real’ incentive coupled with the effects of a second game in three days added onto all the rest, probably dulled their edge. Vale, opting for willing defence with the midfield four dogged, were gritty enough to keep the Millers at bay. Rotherham had stepped it up in the second half but couldn’t find that bit extra. Had they gone in front at any stage of the game, I couldn’t possibly see how Vale could have found a way back at them so ineffective were they going forward. Indeed, I made a note that, in the second half, it wasn’t until the 35th minute of it (ie 80th minute) that they really threatened to put the ball into Rotherham’s penalty area. Even then the free-kick went sailing away for a goal kick. Rotherham, if they could muster the energy, would have kicked themselves for not winning. Reuben Reid almost had a fifth minute goal but his effort was cleared about two yards from the line. He then couldn’t get enough power after Drewe Broughton's flick on. Broughton – who gave a clue about fatigue because he never mustered one foul throughout the first half –
was unlucky on the half-hour. He rose to Sharps’ long centre and his header looped onto a post. Micky Cummins somehow blasted the rebound over the empty net from around six yards. Five minutes later, keeper Chris Martin came dashing outside his area to head away; the ball went straight to Mark Hudson’s chest, bounced down and then up so invitingly around 30 yards out. It was hugely surprising that the midfielder, more than capable of such execution, spurned the obvious route of lobbing the ball over the stranded keeper and backtracking Vale defenders and went for power instead. His low shot was blocked. Vale had a couple of headers to show for their efforts although Dale Tonge twice covered superbly to prevent Kyle Perry being put through. Rotherham had the possession and dominance from the start of the second half and Vale had early worries, none more so than when Hudson slid Reid into the area but Martin came out to make the block. Reid had two shots blocked but Vale’s defensive stint frustrated them. Vale’s own work in the final third was the poorest by any opposition this season although they almost had the last word, Lee Collins heading just wide in the 85th minute.
Date
Time
Opponents
Sat 18 April
3pm
Shrewsbury
Venue Comp H
L2
Tue 21 April
7.45pm
Morecambe
H
L2
Sat 25 April
3pm
Bradford
A
L2
Sat 2 May
3pm
Exeter
H
L2
Lost points have upset apple cart
THIS really has been a season of ‘what ifs.’ If it wasn’t for Luton’s enormous 30-point deduction they would not have had to suffer the indignity of relegation out of the Football League. If Liverpool had been a little braver and played Steven Gerrard they could have commemorated the Hillborough disaster in the the perfect manner at Stamford Bridge. And if Rotherham hadn’t seen 17 points go before the season had even started they would now be set for automatic promotion. The hard work and dedication shown by the Millers fans, staff and players have propelled a team that could have easily faced the same fate as Luton into what would be the top three finish. It has been refreshing to see Rotherham play with such guile and creativity this season. Giving that little bit extra for fans who have suffered so much. And next year they should definately be in with a promotion shot. It will be another season of what ifs but at least this time fate will be in their own hands. The Musing Miller
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