46 Dinnington and Maltby Guardian Friday 27th February 2009
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★
Millers make a point
STAR MAN
Warra hero
Rotherham’s resolute defence withheld a deluge of attacks from high-flying Wycombe Wanderers to earn an invaluable point on Monday night.
Dale Tonge – Defended well and looked the side’s most attacking threat in the first half.
7 Nick Fenton – Hardworking display at the back
by Simon Peach
7 Jamie Green – Youngster shone down the left in the second half.
at Adams Park
7 Marc Joseph – Integral part of the back four and whipped in some great crosses. 7 Mark Hudson – Looked quiet at the start but produced one of the shots on goal. 6 Pablo Mills – Covered the defence well and passed well. 7 Michael Cummins – Vital goalline clearance but had a quiet game.
● Heroic – Keeper Andy Warrington, right, was a hero on Monday (Pic: Steve Parkin)
Despite an unconvincing opening 10 minutes, Rotherham began to take a foothold in the game, with Hudson putting their first chance comfortably into keeper Young’s hands. The introduction of former Wycombe loanee Drewe Broughton changed the dynamics going forward, and he forced Young into a sprawling save from 25 yards. As the clock ran down Rotherham’s sturdy defence, which has conceded just eight goals in 15 away fixtures, continued to play with aplomb. Warrington produced a great save down low from substitute Beavon as Wycombe pushed forward in search of what turned out to be an unattainable winner, as choruses of ‘yellow army’ rang out around Adams Park at the final whistle.
MATCH FACTS Score: Wycombe 0 Rotherham Utd 0
Wycombe: Young, Casement (Oliver, 62), Johnson, McCracken, Woodman, Phillips (Beavon, 62), Doherty, Holt, Bloomfield (Spence, 74), Harrold, Pittman. Subs not used: Shearer, Beavon. Rotherham: Warrington, Tonge, Sharps, Fenton, Green, Joseph, Hudson, Mills, Cummins, Clarke (Reid 70), Thomas (Broughton 57). Subs not used: Cann, Harrison, Taylor. Man of the Match: Andy Warrington. Attendance: 3,739.
STATISTICS
Wycombe Possession 54% Corners 4 Shots On 7 Shots Off 6 Fouls 5 Yellows 0
Rotherham 46% 0 5 1 11 0
Not one for the Breckin: ‘Get ready lads’ Armchairboys THE Adams Park floodlights shone brightly over the metropolis of industrial units on a mild Monday night on the outskirts of High Millers refused to take Wycombe. the bait and stood firm. Unfortunately for the on They stopped the looking Sky TV Chairboys’ attack time cameras the game after time through wasn’t as dazzling as diligent defending, last they had apparently ditch tackling and hoped. sometimes through a The game though did little luck. show the defensive As the game progressed capabilities of two of the result became the best organised inevitable as neither defences in League side managed to break Two. down their stubborn However, this did opponents. somewhat dampen the But while the armchair spectacle for those fans may not have got watching at home. the goalfest they had While Wycombe were hoped for, the Millers content to sit on the will be more than edge of their own box, happy with the point. waiting to hit Rotherham on the counterattack, the The Musing Miller
7
Ian Sharps – Stood firm to deny Wycombe time and again.
Wycombe 0 Millers 0
And the tactics almost, and arguably should have, culminated in a penalty for the home side. The heroics of keeper Andy A darting run by right winger Warrington, mixed with lastPhillips into the box was halted by a ditch defending, frustrated the flailing leg from Joseph, but referee home side who were looking to Dean Whitestone waived away the go joint first in League Two in Wycombe appeals. The first major chance of the game front of the Sky Sports cameras came in the 33rd minute when and their home crowd. Warrington produced a fine one The Chairboys’ disappointment was handed save from a goalbound header fuelled further when they had a decent from Matt Harrold. first half penalty claim turned down, Wycombe continued to despite winger Matty Phillips push forward with pace, and a being clearly brought down lengthy run by Phillips was by Marc Joseph. only stopped by a crucial Rotherham showed their tackle by last man Mills. intent to defend from the In the final five minutes of offset with a 4-1-4-1 the first half Phillips, who was formation, with captain Pablo the first half’s most dangerous Mills playing as a holding player, was again involved. midfielder. First he saw his shot from The Millers defensive outside the area fly inches mindset against counter-attacking wide of the post, before a shot into the Wycombe resulted in a flurry of long ground almost looped into the top balls and misplaced passes as both corner. sides waited for gaps to expose. After half-time any hopes The first chance came in the 12th Rotherham had of starting with minute when Mills’ wayward backpass attacking intent were hindered by a caught Warrington off guard, but revitalised home side. Wycombe’s Bloomfield couldn’t Six minutes after the restart Phillips capitalise from his rash clearance. whipped in a dangerous cross which Wycombe continued to look was expertly cleared over his own bar dangerous as they attempted to catch by Dale Tonge, before a fierce Gary out the Millers full-backs with their Holt drive was stopped by Micky quick tempo and pace on the wings. Cummins’s goal-line clearance.
Andy Warrington – Produced heroic saves when called upon. 8
ROTHERHAM assistant manager John Breckin has warned the club’s fringe players they need to be ready, as the fixtures begin to pile up. After the game away at Lincoln on Saturday the Millers face seven vital League Two matches in March. “We’ve just said to the lads that the games are piling up now,” said Breckin after the goalless draw at Wycombe on Monday evening. “But that’s what the squad is there for and all those players have got to be ready when their chance comes.” “They’ve got to be ready to take that chance and put pressure on the lads who are in there.” “I think we’re equipped for it, we just need that bit of luck where we don’t pick any injuries up.” “We said before the game we’ve just got to win every game that we can and that puts us on 30 points tonight.” Breckin was happy with the Millers performance at Adams Park against a ‘promotion outfit’ flying high in League Two. “We all had to be careful because they want to hit you on the break,” he said. “I think Andy (Warrington) made a couple of good saves, but defensively we played really well.” “There were two good saves, but apart from that defensively and in the midfield area they got some tremendous blocks in.” “We knew what it would be like on our way
6 Jamie Clarke – Looked sharp in patches and more comfortable when moved up front. 6 Simon Thomas – Worked hard but tired in the second half. 6 Subs: Broughton 7 (Thomas, 57), Reid 6 (Clarke 70). Subs not used: Cann, Harrison, Taylor.
FIXTURES Date
Time
Opponents
Sat 28 Feb
3pm
Lincoln City
A
Tues 3 Mar
7.45pm
Morecambe
H
L2
Sat 7 Mar
3pm
Brentford
H
L2
Tues 10 Mar 7.45pm
Chester
A
L2
Sat 14 Mar
Rochdale
A
L2
Tues 17 Mar 7.45pm
Aldershot
H
L2
Sat 21 Mar
Chesterfield
H
L2
Tues 24 Mar 7.45pm
Bury
H
L2
Sat 28 Mar
Accrington S
H
L2
3pm 3pm 3pm
Venue Comp L2
Tues 31 Mar 7.45pm
Luton
A
L2
Sat 4 April
3pm
Aldershot
A
L2
Sat 11 April
3pm
Notts County
H
L2
Port Vale
A
L2
Mon 13 April 3pm Sat 18 April
3pm
Shrewsbury
H
L2
Sat 25 April
3pm
Bradford
A
L2
Sat 2 May
3pm
Exeter
H
L2
LEAGUE TWO
● Versatile – Breckin praised youngster Jamie Green
down here, we worked on it all week and we’re delighted with the point.” After the game Breckin singled out academy graduate Jamie Green for special praise, describing the 18-year-old as having a ‘great future’ after putting in an excellent performance on the left wing. He added: “He’s a young lad and it’s nice when you can play two or three positions, when you’ve got those strings to your bow.”
Team Brentford Wycombe W Bury Rochdale Shrewsbury T Bradford City Darlington Exeter City Gillingham Dagenham & R Morecambe Lincoln City Chesterfield Aldershot T Notts County Macclesfield T Port Vale Rotherham Utd Accrington S Barnet Chester City Grimsby Town Bournemouth Luton Town
P 32 31 32 32 33 32 30 32 32 33 33 30 29 30 32 31 30 29 32 31 33 32 32 31
W 16 15 16 15 14 14 14 14 14 13 10 10 11 10 8 9 9 13 7 5 6 4 9 8
D 11 12 8 10 10 10 9 9 8 9 13 11 7 7 12 6 4 8 9 11 8 11 11 12
L 5 4 8 7 9 8 7 9 10 11 10 9 11 13 12 16 17 8 16 15 19 17 12 11
F 46 37 47 56 47 50 46 46 46 56 40 39 46 45 37 34 32 36 31 36 31 32 36 42
A 25 20 32 39 29 36 27 37 45 36 43 35 41 56 48 59 49 28 45 58 58 56 43 49
Pts 59 57 56 55 52 52 51 51 50 48 43 41 40 37 36 33 31 30 30 26 26 23 21 6