Millers lose at the Valley

Rotherham United lost this match in the first twelve minutes of the game today at Don Valley as Southend came and took the game to the Millers from the start.

The game was only thirty second old when Sean Clohessy received a good ball from Blair Sturrock who in turn picked out Ryan Hall who volleyed the ball past Andy Warrington and into the back of the net. The Millers could have done a 'Stockport equaliser' in the next minute when Ryan Taylor got his head onto a Dale Tonge cross but it went straight to Glenn Morris in the Shrimpers goal. This was followed by action at the other end when Sturrock had a shot that went straight into the waiting hands of Warrington. A Nicky Law corner at the other end went towards Johnny Mullins who looked like he would get a tap in but somehow missed the ball completely. Then on thirteen minutes Hall curled in a corner, found the head of Sturrock and the Millers found themselves two down. The Millers tried to respond again straight away when Law got himself free and ran into the box only a fine save from Morris stopping the ball going into the net. Five minutes later Warrington made a great save from a Louis Soares header and then Soares put the rebound wide. Then, at the other end, former Miller Graham Coughlan seemed to have forgotten who he was playing for when a long kick from Warrington was headed on and with Morris rushing out Coughlan headed over the 'keeper but, luckily for him and unfortunately for the Millers, it went just wide of the post.

The Millers came out a bit livelier in the second half and Dale Tonge got himself into shooting space, let fly and only a save from Morris, who got down well, stopped the defender scoring. After that Southend sat deeper and the Millers really had no answer to some of the tough tackling from the visitors. On the hour mark the Millers got a corner which, after falling into a crowded penalty area was finally forced in from skipper Nick Fenton to make it two-one. Fenton was in action a minute later at the other end when he stopped Sturrock getting his second of the match. Although the Millers seemed to have a lot of possession it never went anywhere, often breaking down in midfield, where a blind man with one leg could have taken any of the lose balls that there were and it was nearly ten minutes from time when they had their next chance when a twenty yard smash from Jason Taylor went just wide of the post. Ronnie Moore made his second substitution of the day when he put veteran Paul Warne on for Kevin Ellison and almost straight away, Warney controlled the ball well on the edge of the penalty, looked up and shot but Morris did well to keep the ball out. After that Southend dug in deep and no amount of Rotherham pressure could move them.

This is the Millers first loss in the league since they last played Southend at Roots Hall - oh and Ronnie, we still owe Southend one.

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