Match report: Rotherham United 2-1 Bristol City

On Saturday 29^th March, I went to the New York Stadium to see Rotherham United take on Bristol City in SkyBet League One. For this game I played mentor to a number of Y9 students from Wales High School who had been taking part on a sports journalism course with the Rotherham United Community Sports Trust.

On the day, it was my responsibility to make sure that the students were not only making detailed notes on the game, but also that they had challenging questions to ask some of the players after full-time. Then, at half-time, I got the chance to write up a match report on the G4S Trophy final – this will be printed in the programme at a later date.

After the game I also had to chance to interview a number of the players. This was something I had been planning for as I was yet to interview a player after a match.

I was personally looking forward to the fixture as both sides came into the game on long unbeaten runs and in good form - Rotherham 14 without loss and Bristol City six without tasting defeat. A win for the Millers would see them keep up their automatic promotion push, whereas a win for the Robins would push them further away from the League One relegation zone.

Match report below:

Rotherham United moved to within one point of third-placed Leyton Orient after defeating Bristol City in a hard-fought encounter at the New York Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Two stunning goals from James Tavernier either side of half-time secured the Millers all three points after Wade Elliott had equalised for the travellers at the start of the second-half.

Ahead of the game, Steve Evans chose to stick with the same side that had comfortably seen off promotion rivals Brentford on Tuesday night by three-goals-to-nil. This meant that Nicky Adams again kept his place in the starting line-up after impressive performances against Peterborough United and the Bees.

Wes Thomas, however, missed out on a place on the bench as a troublesome thigh injury kept the ex-Bournemouth striker out for the third game in a row.

The Robins made just one change to the starting-XI that had seen off Port Vale 5-0 on Tuesday night, with winger Marlon Pack dropping to the bench for Simon Gillett, who returned after being rested in midweek. Adam El-Abd also returned to the squad and took his spot on the bench replacing Liam Kelly.

The game started in the best possible fashion for the Millers, and after just two minutes they took the lead through full-back James Tavernier.

A free-kick was awarded to Rotherham after winger Nicky Adams made a brilliant run down the right of the pitch before drawing a foul out of City defender Greg Cunningham. Ben Pringle played a curling ball into the box which was headed clear by Nyron Nosworthy, but only as far as Millers midfielder Richard Smallwood. The Middlesbrough-loanee then played a pass into the path of Tavernier who took a touch before firing a powerful, right footed shot past the outstretched arms of Frank Fielding and into the back of the net.

Minutes later, Adams was again involved as he played a low ball into the centre of the Bristol City box. The cross fell kindly to forward Alex Revell, who turned and shot towards goal, but his effort was comfortably blocked and the danger was cleared.

The Millers continued to push for a second goal, and moments later Kieran Agard had a chance of his own to double the advantage. Ex-Crawley man Adams again pushed down the right before playing a dangerous ball into the box, this was met by top scorer Agard, but his header sailed agonisingly wide of the target.

The Robins’ first real chance of note came in the 27^th minute, when Cunningham pushed forwards towards the Millers’ back line and took on a shot from distance. Despite the defender’s best efforts, the right footed effort comfortably flew high and wide of the target.

With half an hour gone, Rotherham were looking the more dominant side and really should have doubled their lead through Smallwood in the 31^st minute. Again, Agard picked up the ball on the edge of the box before picking out Smallwood who scuffed a tame shot wide of the right post, much to the agony of the home crowd.

As time went on, the Millers only continued to push forward and Agard again came close to adding to his tally for the season when winger Pringle played a dangerous through ball across the Robins’ back line. Top scorer Agard charged past the defence but saw his left footed shot fire just wide of the goal and into the sponsor boards.

The first yellow card of the game came in the 39^th minute, and the booking went the away side’s way. Revell’s clever turn proved too much for defender Cunningham to handle, as he hacked down the Millers’ front man from behind, leaving the referee with no choice but to award the first yellow of the match.

Despite the majority of play falling to the Millers, the half ended with a chance for the visitors.

Martin Paterson collected the ball on the edge of the box, with both time and space to pick his spot. His left footed shot from outside the box went close, but fired wide to the left of the goal, leaving the Robins trailing by a goal to nil at the interval.

Half-time: Rotherham United 1-0 Bristol City

The second-half started much where the first had left off and this was with a Bristol City chance, which this time around would not be squandered.

In the 48^th minute, Wade Elliott picked up the ball in the middle of the park, and despite having little room to manoeuvre, he turned and ran at the Millers’ defence. The veteran midfielder then unleashed a powerful right footed shot, and despite Smallwood’s best efforts to block, the ball flew past Adam Collin and into the back of the Rotherham goal.

The equaliser didn’t faze the Millers though, and just minutes later Adams was again involved as he played a ball across the box to Lee Frecklington, who took on a left footed shot from just outside the area. The effort was a powerful one, but the ball flew past the post and the scores stayed level.

It didn’t take much longer for the Millers to go back in front though, and in the 59^th minute the away side conceded a free-kick when Robins’ goalkeeper Fielding handled the ball outside the 18-yard box in an attempt to hurry a clearance.

Man-of-the-match Tavernier menacingly stood over the set piece, and sure enough the Newcastle loanee fired a powerful shot into the top right corner of the City goal, making sure the visitors paid heavily for their mistake.

The second booking of the game also went in the direction of the away side as Simon Gillett unfairly brought down Agard as he charged towards the visitors’ goal. Tavernier again took the free-kick, but this time played a curling ball into the Robins’ box, which saw the City defence clear for a corner. A cross was played in by Pringle, but the danger was cleared.

The Millers continued to push for a third goal and just minutes later a corner was conceded by Nosworthy after continued pressure down the left. Pringle played in the ball which Agard headed towards goal only for Fielding to palm into the path of Smallwood, who somehow saw his and Adams’ efforts blocked by a resolute Robins’ defence.

As time went on, chances of note came few and far between and in an effort to salvage something from the game, Steve Cotterill made a triple substitution in the 83^rd minute bringing on Marlon Pack, Tyrone Barnett and Adam El-Abd.

The changes proved to make an impact, and both Derrick Williams and Karleigh Osborne went close with long range efforts towards the Millers’ goal. Collin held strong though, and Rotherham claimed a huge three points in the fight for automatic promotion.

Full-time: Rotherham United 2-1 Bristol City

After the game Joe Skarz commented on the match, saying: “It was a great victory. Performance wise first-half, I think we were really good. In the second-half they came at us, but it’s all about winning at this stage of the season and we’re delighted to take the three points”.

Lee Frecklington also said: “I think we started the game really well. In the first-half, we played some good football and we managed to go in front with a wonder strike from Tavs (Tavernier), and even though we conceded early in the second, I knew we’d get back in the game and take all three points”.

Rotherham: Collin, Tavernier, Arnason, Morgan, Skarz, Adams (Milsom 88), Smallwood, Frecklington, Pringle (Vuckic 80), Revell (Davis 89), Agard

Unused: Shearer, O’Connor, Addison, Hitchcock

Bristol: Fielding, Williams, Osborne, Cunningham (El-Abd 83), Wagstaff, Elliott, Baldock, Emmanual-Thomas (Pack 83), Gillett, Nosworthy, Paterson (Barnett 83)

Unused: Richards, Moloney, Pearson, Burns

Attendance: 8607 (743)