Friendly Millers v Rovers Report

Rotherham United lost their third friendly in a row at Don Valley this afternoon to local rivals, Doncaster Rovers.

Both sides seemed to soon settle into a sedate passing game, although it was the Millers who had the first attack in the opening minutes. Fifteen minutes in, Jamie Annerson in the Millers goal, was caught out of his area and Gareth Roberts sent in a high ball from some twenty-five yards out which the backpeddling Annerson managed to fingertip over the bar for a corner kick. The Millers defence came into it's own a few minutes later when it blocked a promising run from Dean Shiels. A cross from Nicky Law was missed by Ryan Taylor while at the other end the visitors did have the ball in the net but Paul Heffernan was offside. Rovers got a free kick which was taken quickly by Quentin Fortune, the ball eventually finding Sam Hird who stuck it into the back of an empty net. Annerson made a couple of good saves from Shiels before Stephen Brogan found himself free but Ben Smith managed to put the ball out as the winger tried to round him.

Rovers had the better of the play in the second half and went further into the lead on fifty-two minutes when a corner ball was chipped in for James Hayter to head it into the net. Minutes after, Walker found himself through on goal with only the 'keeper to beat but Annerson managed to dive on the ball to stop it going in. But it wasn't long before the third did go in for Rovers after Hayter had headed onto the crossbar, Walker was there to nod in the re-bound. The Millers started to go forwards and Gary Woods saved at the feet of Ryan Taylor. With ten minutes to go, Rovers got their fourth goal when a back heel from Walker to Hayter left the striker with a simple tap in. Kevin Ellison had two near misses for the home side, firing one shot high over the bar with only the 'keeper to beat and in the final minutes his shot hit the post and bounced to a Rovers player to clear.

I think it's safe to say this wasn't the game we, or the Manager, were expecting to see from the Millers today. Some of our players seemed to be knocked off the ball too easily while others had passing difficulties. Let's hope it's better at York on Tuesday.

Teams
ROTHERHAM UNITED

Annerson
Lynch
Sharps (Joseph)
Fenton (Nicholas)
Green (Ellison)
Mills
Harrison
Cummins (J Taylor)
Brogan
Law (Liddell)
R Taylor (Warne)

DONCASTER

Smith (G Woods)
Wilson
Hird
Lockwood
Roberts
Oster (Clark)
Fortune (Fisher)
Stock (Spicer)
Woods (guy)
Shiels (Hayter)
Heffernan (Walker)

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