County Senior League Division One, Saturday 26th October 2013
Rotherham Town moved into second place in Division One with
a 3-1 victory over Sheffield Athletic, their sixth win in seven games in all
competitions.
Town took the lead on the half-hour mark. A Rotherham corner
was weakly cleared and soon ended up at Mike Parkinson’s feet in the box; his
turn and shot nestled into the bottom left corner.
Their lead was doubled from the penalty spot early in the
second half. Steve Jefferies attempted to weave inside the area from the left,
but captain Paul Robertson stuck out a leg and was adjudged to bring down the
Number 8. Carl Marriott took the resulting spot kick and stroked the ball into
the bottom left corner as goalkeeper, Daryle Johnson, dived the wrong way.
The third goal of the game was the pick of the goals. Town’s
Steve Andrews spectacular long-range half-volley whistled into the right
corner, unstoppable for Johnson.
Athletic were able to pull a goal back five minutes from
full time. Andrew Lee’s cross was tapped in by Lewis Chergle. But the Sheffield
side were condemned to their fourth defeat in five league games, dropping to
twelfth in the table.
With windy conditions
restricting passing football in the early stages, few clear-cut chances were
created. Jamie Hewit’s long range shot for Sheffield and Rich Williams’ effort
for Rotherham going over the bar were the only opportunities in the first
fifteen minutes.
Marriott almost gave the hosts a surprise lead with an
effort from the right of the penalty area; his distant attempt going just above
the crossbar.
At the opposite end of the field, Nidza Luwe shot wide of
the left post.
In the twenty-fourth minute Rotherham’s Kingsley Little
produced a beautiful cross towards Rich Williams, but the striker couldn’t
quite make contact and the ball fell just wide.
Still Rotherham continued to press; Marcus Squires’
free-kick found Parkinson but the header was caught by the goalkeeper. But on
his team’s next attack at goal Parkinson found the back of the net, with a turn
and shot in a crowded penalty area.
Sheffield were far from being outplayed however and created
openings which came close to drawing an equaliser. Firstly, Andrew Lee chipped
into the box and Luwe headed wide and a few minutes later Lewis Chergle’s low
shot inside the area was claimed by the goalkeeper.
On the stroke of half-time Sheffield’s Anthony Marshal’s
shot from inside the box drifted wide. Prior to this Daryle Johnson was forced
to deny Liam Johnson’s long range effort and Marriott’s free-kick.
The second half immediately began with incident. Paul
Robertson conceded a penalty when Steve Jefferies fell to the ground, the
Sheffield captain however was convinced no contact was made. Carl Marriott successfully
dispatched from the spot.
Rotherham had the ball in the net for a third time but Liam
Johnson was ruled out for offside after latching on to Rich Williams’ through
ball.
The relief of this decision had a temporary positive affect
on the Sheffield attack and soon after they created their best chance thus far.
Anthony Marshal’s corner was met by Robertson, but his bullet header fell just
wide. A minute later Robertson’s head met another set piece, this time a
free-kick, but was denied by Rotherham’s Chris Noye.
The best save of the match belonged to Johnson however;
Steve Jeffries left-footed shot looked destined for the bottom corner if not
for his reflexes.
But Steve Andrews’ stunning goal which spurred from the
resulting corner beat Johnson and all-but-ended hope of an Athletic comeback.
Although they soon grabbed a consolation through Chergle’s tap-in.
Still Sheffield refused to surrender and Marshal’s
half-volley stung the palms of Noye.
Meanwhile Rotherham mustered chances of their own. Liam Johnson
went beyond Marshal on a run into the box but Daryle Johnson saved with his
fingertips at the far post; which limited the defeat to 3-1.
Rotherham Town Team: Chris Noye, Marcus Squires, Marcus
Smallman (captain), Matt Brunyee, Chris Liddle, Simon Price, Mike Parkinson,
Steve Jefferies, Carl Marriott, Kingsley Little, Rich Williams. Substitutes:
Mike Reinolds, Dale Benton, Liam Johnson, Andy Hanson, Steve Andrews.
Sheffield Athletic: Daryle Johnson, Dean Spotswood, William
Kitching, Paul Robertson (captain), Lee Coddington, Andrew Lee, Lewis Chergle,
Jamie Hewit, Oatis Thorne, Anthony Marshal, Nidza Luwe. Substitutes: Gary Eades
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