Burton 2v0 Millers - Report
Nine man Rotherham United went down 2-0 at Burton Albion with Billy Kee grabbing both goals.
Midfielders David Noble and Michael O’Connor both saw red for fouls on Burton dangerman Jacques Maghoma and made the visiting side’s task of getting anything from the game unenviable.
Manager Steve Evans named an unchanged team at the Pirelli Stadium where his side were backed with a large following from South Yorkshire.
Rotherham kicked away from their own fans in the first half and they were the first to have an attempt on goal.
Following neat passing between the defence, Ridehalgh slid in Nardiello down the left and the forward cut inside to curl a shot just wide of the far post.
Neither side had gotten a grasp of the game in the opening fifteen minutes so it was likely that the next chance was going to come from a set play.
Pringle’s in-swinging corners had looked inviting and one to the backpost found Bradley unmarked. Despite a good connection on the header it looped into keeper Tomlinson’s reach.
Burton had been pressing and took the lead on 36 minutes. Kee got onto Symes’ flick on and held off a challenge in the box before turning and shooting beyond Warrington into the far corner.
It got worse for the visiting side on the stroke of half-time when Noble was dismissed for a second offence on Burton winger Maghoma.
It looked as if Noble had just mistimed his tackle but referee Ilderton had no hesitation in showing a second yellow.
Evans made two changes at the start of the second half with Pringle and Slew replaced by Frecklington and Kearns, who had bagged twice for the second string midweek.
Rotherham started the second period brightly with Nardiello doing well down the right and sliding across a chance for Ridehalgh but the defender’s shot was diverted wide for a corner.
The uphill task facing Rotherham was doubled when Kee scored his second on 55 minutes. Again he was allowed to turn and fired past Warrington from outside the box.
Rotherham thought they’d got one back when Nardiello turned O’Connor’s flick from Kearns’ cross in. A flag was up, though, and brought to an end the supporter’s celebrations behind the goal.
Desperate to get a goal back, Mullins goal-bound header was cleared off the line by Bell as Rotherham upped their tempo with a succession of corners.
Solid defending from Burton’s backline kept out both Odejayi and sub Revell on their routes to goal down the right hand side as Rotherham’s task looked increasingly difficult.
It was made to look impossible on 87 minutes when Maghoma teased O’Connor in the box to force a foul. O’Connor was dismissed but Symes’ penalty was saved by Warrington jumping to his left.
Nevertheless, the home side had done enough to secure the three points.
Burton Albion: Tomlinson, Webster, Stanton (c), Weir, Maghoma (McGrath 90), O'Connor, Holness, Bell, MacDonald (Dyer 72), Kee (Paterson 80), Symes.
Subs not used: Lyness, Corbett, Phillips, Drury.
Rotherham United: Warrington, Bradley, Arnason, Mullins, Ridehalgh, Pringle (Frecklington 45), Noble, O'Connor, Nardiello (Revell 72), Odejayi, Slew (Kearns.)
Subs not used: Thompson, Davis, Agard, Cameron.
Referee: E.Ilderton
Attendance: 3967