After the four away game marathon that preceded Hull, the Lads made another short trip to Yorkshire and did the usual against a team from the lower reaches. It seems we can beat those at the top but struggle against those with their backs to the wall. In a first half of few chances, we hit the target with none while we needed three good saves in quick succession from Patto to keep us in it. An unstoppable shot put them ahead before the break and it was down to Clarke, with a bouncing deflected effort, to level things. Despite intense, Pritch-inspired, pressure towards the end, the Millers were resolute in defence and it ended 1-1. Deeply disappointing.
Our journey south continued in the manner of our return from Humberside - for the first time in what seemed like ages, we'd been in a celebratory homeward mood. More renditions of Jingle Bells were interspersed with tales from awaydays of the past, recounted to eager young ears, the owners of which learned of Snoop's Green Monster pints, battered beans, and seasickness in Portsmouth while the hydrofoil was still docked. I know it was only a couple of hours anyway, but return journeys seem so much more shorter with three points in the bag. Today's journey down was punctuated by folks cursing at their phones and damning Ticketmaster to the far reaches of Hell because of their inability to provide access to mag tickets at the allotted time. Had they forgotten what day of the week it is because of Christmas? Do us a favour, SAFC, and ditch the useless leeches.
In Wakefield we picked the team over a couple of bevvies, and got it right for once.
Patterson
Seelt Ballard O'Nien (c) Hume
Ekwah Neil
Roberts Bellingham Aouchiche Clarke
... and a bench of Bishuuurrrp, Pembele, Burstow, Pritchard, Ba, Rusyn, Benette, Triantis, and Alese (yay!).
Defending the end housing the visiting fans, and in our dayglo kit, we kicked off. Possession - we had lots of it, but the first half was really a story of Rotherham initially being pleased to get possession, then, when we couldn't create any chances, being happy to have it. Considering they'd beaten the Boro on the back of less than 20%, that's hardly surprising.
Unsurprisingly, Jobe was a sort of centre forward but we were far too patient and happily passed the ball about anywhere but into their box. Naturally, Clarke and Roberts were our main outlets but when the latter put extra effort into hoofing it out of the ground from halfway when chasing back, he twanged something and eventually limped off - and it was only eight o'clock. His replacement, Ba, wasn't greeted with much enthusiasm and given his recent contributions that wasn't much of a surprise. Five minutes later, Clarke did really well to get on the end of a hopeful ball out to the left, and when it came in, Neil's shot from distance swerved a foot the wrong side of their keeper's right hand post. If that was close, what happened three minutes later was even closer. We lost the ball in the centre circle, and their man raced goalwards with Mackem destruction on his mind, but Patto stood his ground calmer than Steve Matthews on a Sunday morning and was down at his feet to save. He was at it again to tip over the resultant corner, then dived to his left to tip away a low shot. Hairy moments? Hairier than a barber's floor.
As we struggled (or decided not to) get shots away, Clarke fired across the goal at the far end, and a few minutes later won a corner which they cleared, only for Bellingham to be booked for an alleged foul on the centre spot. Rotherham were quite content to sit deep and let us have the ball in our half and then get bodies in the way when we did get forward. All of which made for a fairly frustrating first forty five - plus two added ones, which was a bit miserly considering the amount of time Roberts had spent on the floor being treated.
Aouchiche, who I'd thought might make a more positive contribution (but has only so far been mentioned in the lineup) made way for Burstow, who - well he let Bellingham drop into midfield. To be fair, he did produce a couple of decent turns, but if you're going to be any use as a forward you need to follow those turns up with a shot or a deadly lay-off. Back to Chelsea next week for you, and another loan, I reckon, because you're learning nowt with us. I know it wasn't his fault, but it probably sums up his time with us that his run at the home defence ended when two defenders clattered into each other and they got the ball up the field for their lad to hit a screamer that Patto had no chance with. Bugger. Just Bugger, and only three minutes into the half, I think it surprised the Millers as much as it irritated us.
At least that setback injected some sort of urgency into our play - look, Clarke had been dancing past them all evening without result, and he tried to be a bit more positive, but I really wish that Beale, unlike previous gaffers, would just say "Jack, left wing for ten minutes." That way he could get to the flag and whack in a cross that Burstow could meet facing the goal. Needless to say, that didn't happen. With a goal in their bag, the Millers sat even deeper, got even more bodies between us and their keeper, and were quite happy to let us run at them - which we did, but to no effect. Hume had a shot blocked, then a loose clearance only got as far as O'Nien, who hit an absolute beaut that the keeper tipped past the post - only for the ref to give a goal kick.
With 25 to go, Ekwah and Seelt made way for Pritch and our first sighting of Pembele, and the pair of them made a huge difference - even if it was ultimately unproductive. We ran at the home penalty box, but the home defence had us sussed - let us run at them as much as we liked, but simply get bodies in the way. They were happy to concede corners, and from one on our left, which Pritch flung into the box, he got it straight back. Thankfully, his cross was headed to Clarke, lurking 25 yards out, and Jack whacked it - into the ground, off a defender, and looping into the net with the keeper wondering what on earth was going on.
Right, quarter of an hour to get this sorted and won, and we piled forward with O9 hitting another volley from distance that was blocked and Ballard, up for another corner, firing wide. Even Clarke got in on the inaccurate act by slicing a loose ball off target. Rotherham brought on a couple of subs, one of which I believe was a target of ours a few years back - Tom Eaves. His sole purpose seemed to be clattering Ballard (fair enough) and elbowing O9 (definitely unacceptable) as the home side tried their best not to look like they were absolutely chuffed to bits not to be losing.
Six added minutes were announced, in which they headed one wide, we had a shout for a penalty that VAR would certainly have given in the Prem, because Prem footballer's arms are always in an unnatural position, and Pritch's clever cross found a diving Pembele a couple of yards from the keeper's left-hand post - but the header was tipped away.
1-1, and on the night probably a fair result based on shots, but with 70% possession we should have created more chances and at least made their keeper work harder. Their goal was an absolute buck-snorter, but only half a lace more accurate than Neil's first half effort, and 09 hit two just as well - but both were blocked. Fine margins, but we have to replace the fannying about, pretty though it may be, with simple stuff that presents the likes of Burstow with tap-ins or headers at goal.
All in all a very disappointing night's work - I doubt if any other side in the league can boast players with such sweet ball control as Roberts and Clarke - but there's half a dozen sides with more points than us.
Man of the Match? I liked the look of Pembele, but he was simply piling forward at a side who'd got a goal that had surprised themselves and were happy to invite him on. Likewise Hume, and again Neil. Pritch obviously made a positive difference, but it has to got to be Clarke again simply because he scored the one and looked most likely to score another.
