| Rotherham United | Middlesbrough | ||
| Smith | 86′ (pen) | Assombalonga Mikel |
28′ (pen) 37′ |
| Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
58% 18 4 6 12 |
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
42% 12 4 5 16 |
Boro ground to a halt at the Millers
The Final game of the season and somehow despite trying to self-implode Boro are still in it with something to play for albeit relying on the Baggies to hold the Rams to a draw or better still beat them. FLDC failure to win against the Swans midweek meant that the footballing ennui currently smothering Teesside had to be endured once more for another 90 minutes or at least until Derby took a convincing lead plunging the stake firmly into the Diasboro heart for another season.
TP had declared that he only had the three defenders still out with no new selection headaches. Warne seemed optimistically resigned to their fate and I suspected we would see a Rotherham playing without fear wanting to put on a show for a capacity last game in the Championship. Paul Warne made two changes from their defeat to West Brom last Saturday. Vaulks hadn’t recovered from an injury and goalkeeper Rodak was missing through illness. Due to that illness their lack of a Keeper on the bench was hopefully an omen for Boro with Lewis Price making his first start of the season between the sticks for the Millers. The only change for Boro was on the bench with Wood dropping out and Spence coming back in.
A vociferous jam-packed banner festooned away end roared on the dark blue/black shirted Boro for one last final effort. Rotherham kicked off and immediately McNair was forced into a header with the home side starting off on the front foot. As expected, we had three at the back with Howson and Saville in the Wing Back roles. Early exchanges saw Rotherham getting the ball out wide quickly and pressuring Boro with Shotton looking a little questionable in the reaction stakes. There were certainly no relegation hangovers from the Miller men. Boro were under serious pressure, Randolph had to palm away an early effort from Smith who had bettered Shotton testing the Boro Keeper with a shot fired across the face of goal. Truth be told Boro looked very uncomfortable, slow and unprepared for Rotherham’s onslaught.
A minute later and a ball into the Boro box was fortunately left by Forde and Smith, going out for a Boro goal kick. Ten minutes had gone and it was all Rotherham until a Besic taken free kick led to a corner for the visitors. The big lads went up but the corner came in low to Saville who hit it poorly and it went well wide. The anxious hope was that Boro were just keeping things cool, absorbing early pressure and looking to pick the relegated side off but hope is one thing reality wise it certainly didn’t look or feel that confident. Scrappy, disconnected and a lack of composure best described the Boro showing in the opening quarter of an hour. A header over the bar by Ajayi in the six-yard box was another warning but then Britt broke, was through on a one on one and as has been typical of Britt he sliced his shot left footed wide as he had darted between two static Rotherham defenders after a Fletcher knock on.
Bleak news then filtered through that Derby had taken the lead against the Baggies at Pride Park. Again, Shotton looking increasingly awkward on the left of the defence was skinned by Smith, allowing the attacker to get into the Boro box and fire in his shot. Fletcher then duplicated Britt’s effort by lashing a shot well wide from the same spot and going wide of the same post. A Lewis Wing free kick was delivered perfectly to Shotton who repeated his defensive frailties at the other end hopelessly putting his header over the bar for what was a nailed-on opener. That miss was unbelievable but at least Boro did now look to be showing some endeavour but as soon as we felt that warm breeze of confidence Rotherham went up the other end and it was inevitably Michael Smith who had another shot that went just wide under pressure from Shotton.
Just before the half hour mark Fletcher played Assombalonga through and in going to receive the one two Britt was hauled down in the box allowing Britt to put away his second penalty in as many weeks.
One nil and just as the travelling army were in full celebratory mood Britt was played in again by Fletcher but he completely missed the gaping goalmouth with his shot going out for a goal kick near the edge of the eighteen-yard box. Elsewhere Derby were still winning, Bristol were drawing but Ipswich were beating Leeds which hopefully would serve as an incentive to WBA to try and get something at Derby to avoid Villa. Meanwhile Smith was again causing us problems and looking very much to me like a player that was maybe worth some speculative interest in the summer. Twenty-seven years old, from the North East, Championship ready and unlikely to break the bank.
On thirty-seven minutes a Wing corner was met powerfully by McNair, headed back in towards the packed six-yard box deflected back out (or laid off depending on perspective) by Fletcher into the path of Mikel on the penalty spot who smashed it home to make it two nil. With just a few minutes to go until the half time whistle news had filtered through that Leeds had pulled back an equaliser at Ipswich. That was a sickener as the hope was that the chance of leapfrogging Leeds to avoid Villa might have been an incentive for the Baggies to push Derby a little harder in the second half. As the seconds of the first half ebbed away, Rotherham had a cross come shot palmed out by Randolph reminding us we still had work to do. The resulting corner was headed clear and the whistle went to end the half.
A nervy opening twenty minutes for Boro but the penalty broke the back of the Millers and settled our nerves. In truth with three very poor misses we could and possibly should have had another three goals despite Rotherham creating some really good opportunities themselves.
Paul Warne made one change at half time with Williams on for Forde as news simultaneously came through that Ipswich had taken the lead again versus Leeds but the Baggies had now drawn level at Pride Park sending the Travelling Teessiders into orbit. We now potentially faced the longest forty-five minutes for Boro fans as the two thousand six hundred travelling army turned the New York Stadium into Rotherham by the Tees, uncomfortably a few bursts of “Derby County, it’s happening again” rang out.
Fifty-five minutes gone and it was still 2-0 to Boro and still 1-1 at Pride Park, Bristol were drawing 0-0 at Hull so as it stood Boro were at least momentarily in the Play Offs. Rotherham had a chance and then at the other end a Corner won by Howson was delivered in by Saville but a shove by Flint was blown for by Ref Andy Madely for a foul. Despite the effervescent enthusiasm from the travelling army if Rotherham pulled one back nerves would be jangling even more and of course if Derby scored it was dream over. At Hull the final knife was plunged into Bristol City hearts as Irvine had put the Tigers one up to end vague South West Play Off hopes.
Meanwhile Boro were slipping up and looking careless, Paul Warne had clearly told his side to go out and get at us with nothing to lose. Mikel made a hash of things, Fletcher done likewise as nerves were clearly getting to everybody in the New York Stadium. Half an hour to go and a third Rotherham Corner in quick succession was plucked out of the air by Randolph. At this stage I’m not sure if another West Brom goal would have eased jitters more than a third for Boro. Either or preferably both would have done. Besic picked up a sloppy Ajayi pass, charged forward and just inside the box let fly but his effort went well over Price’s goal. Down at Hull Bristol had pulled one back but so long as we were wining their result was irrelevant to us.
Sixty-five minutes gone and the Pride Park result was still 1-1, Boro were still leading 2-0 and Bristol’s goal apparently wasn’t and it was still 1-0 to the Tigers. Paul Warne made another sub bringing the long serving Potter on as Boro were really making hard work of this and a Newell shot blocked by Saville drew huge sighs of relief and immediately Saville again defiantly blocked the follow up attempt.
Then the killer news came in that FLDC had taken the lead again against West Brom and were now 2-1 up. The mood in the away end was suddenly darker than the Boro shirts.
Ajayi had a great effort brilliantly saved by Randolph and once again he had another follow up effort just as news arrived that Derby had just had a Penalty to put the Rams 3-1 up and effectively ending Boro’s hopes that had momentarily, ever so cruelly flickered. A Penalty claim by Rotherham was brushed aside after it was adjudged that Saville’s hand had made accidental contact. With just under a quarter of an hour of the game and season to go Newell came off for the Millers with Kyle Vassel entering the field of play, Fletcher went off for Boro at the same time and Downing began the likely end of his second Boro chapter.
There was little impetus out on the pitch and in the stands, the travelling army were now somewhat restrained other than a brief “he’s one of our own” welcome to Stewy’s arrival. Clayts was warming up to replace Besic in what was probably the Bosnina’s final game for Boro and the switch was made at the next break in play. Leeds had meanwhile missed a Penalty at ten man Ipswich but it all seemed a irrelevant now as the only thing that really mattered was in the hands of West Brom. The text messages trickling through was that they looked less than likely to rescue TP and Boro’s season. Tav then came on for Wing to get five or six minutes under his belt but straight away the Rotherham Sub Vassell smashed the post and as the ball came back in to the edge of the box Mikel stuck a silly foot into the path of Vassell who went down for Andy Madely to blow for a penalty.
Michael Smith stepped up and despatched it into the bottom corner past the outstretched Randolph to pull it back to 2-1 to Boro. In fairness Rotherham had deserved it as news arrived in that fellow relegated Ipswich had apparently scored a third against Leeds. Sadly, there was nothing coming in from Pride Park as Boro were now hanging on to what they had. Boro fans now left reflecting on all those games that we meekly surrendered over a season that had started so well then defended into despair. The only things now left to report on the day were that West Brom had gone down to ten men in injury time and Mikel picked up a yellow card for frustratingly kicking the ball away.
MOM was the Boro Travelling Army. Boro had recklessly missed out on what was once a nailed-on position in the Play Off’s sealed after that calamitous run of six defeats in a row. Part of me was disappointed at today’s outcome whilst another part was relieved that this frustrating season was finally over and not spluttering incoherently and aimlessly on. Now put out of our misery but in truth we didn’t miss out today, our lack of goals, terrible home record, negative attitude and out dated tactics had sucked the heart and soul out of players and fans alike some months back.