Not A Good Start For Millers

Rotherham United’s 2023/24 campaign got off to the worst possible start yesterday with a four-one loss away at the bet365 Stadium.

Both sides had debutants playing with Stoke having the first chance on just one minute after a trip on City new boy Ryan Mmaee by Tyler Blackett gave the hosts a free-kick on the edge of the box. Andre Vidigal took the set-piece hitting it straight into the Millers wall before it was cleared by Hakeem Odoffin. Four minutes later Stoke were in front after a ball from Enda Stevens found Josh Laurent whose inch perfect cross found defender Ki-Jana Hoever in acres of space to hit the ball into the crossbar from where it found it’s way into the net. A chance for the Millers saw Jordan Hugill take aim from distance but Potters’ ‘keeper Mark Travers was equal to it before Fred Onyedinma did well to get past one City defender before another appeared to push him to the ground in the area, referee John Busby giving a goal kick. At the other end Stoke tried to get Vidigal on the move but good work from Onyedinma stopped him in his tracks. A good chance for Rotherham saw Ollie Rathbone get a good ball to Cohen Bramall who let the ball bounce before shooting, his shot going over the crossbar followed by nice football from Cafu before getting the ball to Ben Wiles who in turn found Odoffin before his cross was cleared by Michael Rose. Minutes later Hugill found himself with the ball at his feet but as he made to go forward he was pushed by Ben Wilmot with Cafu’s free-kick too high for Hugill. Bramall was the first player to see yellow after kicking the ball away to stop the hosts take a quick free-kick – a new rule this season – before a foul on Vidigal saw the Stoke players surround the referee (that new rule of booking those doing that wasn’t applied) before Mr Busby decided to book Odoffin for the foul. The lively Daniel Johnson took the resulting free-kick which Rathbone put out for a corner which came to nothing. Jacob Brown was booked for kicking the ball away before some great defending from Blackett saw him get to a Johnson cross before Brown. A pass from Laurent saw Millers’ ‘keeper Viktor Johansson rush out to clear before it found Vidigal, who again was in space, the goalkeeper having to have treatment on the pitch before he could continue. Odoffin won a corner which Cafu took finding Blackett but his header wasn’t strong enough which was followed by Cafu sending a super cross to Wiles, the Millers midfielder sending the ball into the waiting arms of Travers. There were seven eventful minutes added on at the end of the half which saw a bit of luck for the Millers to start with when Brown and Millers skipper Sean Morrison tangle with Morrison looking like he pushed the Stoke striker over in the area. City’s appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears but it was a yellow card for Morrison. Stoke got a free-kick which Johnson took and Wilmot headed on for Vidigal to sweep home from close range and when Mmaee shot from inside the area the ball came back of Johnasson and waiting to curl it into the net was Vidigal making it three-nil at half-time.

The Millers had to come out stronger for the second half and with the change of Lee Peltier coming on for Sean Morrison they did just that. Rotherham got an early corner which Cafu took finding the head of Cameron Humphreys and in the scramble in the area the ball found Peltier who put it into the net. A late challenge on Josh Laurent saw a yellow for Cafu before Peltier limped off the pitch after just twelve minutes, Dexter Lembikisa taking over for his debut. Fred Onyedinma might have done better when a cross found him but Mark Travers came out to clear before Onyedinma again raced into the area but again Travers came out to collect his cross. Jordan Hugill did well to rob the ball off Michael Rose setting up Cafu for a shot who saw the ball sail over the crossbar with Hugill looking to have hurt his foot and was replaced a minute later by Georgie Kelly. Onyedinma did well to get into the box before the ball was taken off him before a cross from Ben Wiles meant for Lembikisa was too long. Ryan Mmaee received a ball with Cafu going in for a challenge and winning it with Mmaee rolling on the floor and Mr Busby giving the Millers player a second yellow which saw the Millers down to ten men for the remaining twenty plus minutes. It became a bit bitty after that with Mmaee getting a yellow and was immediately replaced by Chiquinho. Lembikisa was getting some space down the wing and he sent a lovely looking ball for Kelly but Travers got there before him. Changes for the visitors saw Ollie Rathbone and Fred Onyedinma make way for Jamie McCart and Joshu Kayode while Jordan Thompson came on for Ben Pearson for the Potters. Chiquinho looked to be setting off on a run until a good challenge from McCart stopped him before Johansson did well to fetch off a flying save to stop Vidigal get a hat-trick. A poor challenge on Wiles saw Laurent have his name taken which was followed by good work from Odoffin at the other end when he denied Hoever a shooting chance in a good position.But as the board went up for another seven minutes of time added on a Wilmott corner was flicked on by Wilmott as far as Jacob Brown who made the score four-one. Kelly evaded one challenge only to be dragged down by Jordan Thompson who was shown a yellow for his trouble. And a minute later Kelly caused problems again when Tyler Blackett sent a cross into the box for the Millers forward only for Kelly to be dragged back. Shouts from the fans in front of the incident and the Millers players for a penalty fell on deaf ears, Mr Busby giving nothing.

Not the best of starts to the season with moans from leaving fans of ‘it’s going to be a long season’. Yes, it is going to be a long season but it’s only the start of it and we’ve time to put things right. There were some sparks of good football from the Millers yesterday – although, I thought we looked slow compared to a good Stoke City side.

Attendance – 22,601 with 1,672 Millers making the journey to Staffordshire

Referee – John Busby