Stalemate at Bloomfield Road......
Rotherham United earned a valuable point in their fight for Sky Bet Championship survival following a goalless draw at fellow strugglers, Blackpool.
The Bloomfield Road clash was devoid of quality for large spells but there was plenty of hard work and endeavour as Rotherham came close to returning home with maximum points when Cohen Bramall smashed a free-kick against the woodwork before Chiedozie Ogbene did the same in second half stoppage time.
Following their impressive run of form of late, the Millers headed to the West Coast in good heart.
Boss Matt Taylor made one change to his starting line-up following the derby stalemate with Sheffield United last time out.
Millers flyer Bramall returned in the left-back slot as Norwegian loanee Leo Hjelde was ruled out because of injury.
Taylor was able to call upon the services of Bailey Wright, who was passed fit following his head injury against the Blades while Domingos Quina – a deadline day loan signing from Watford – was also named on the bench.
There was a familiar face in the Tangerines line-up with one time Millers academy product Jerry Yates spearheading the home attack.
The home side, backed by a vociferous following, were quick out of the blocks and CJ Hamilton had an early run down the left flank which was snuffed out.
Hamilton was in the thick of the early action and Yates’ slide-rule pass gave him a glimpse of goal but Lee Peltier was on-hand to prevent him shooting goalwards with a timely tackle.
The Millers had their first sight of goal when skipper Rathbone won possession before Tariqe Fosu floated a delicate cross which evaded Rotherham runners.
The home side threatened once again when Josh Bowler cut inside before striking a low effort which was blocked en-route to goal before Sonny Carey latched onto the pieces to fire an effort straight down the throat of Viktor Johansson.
Following a quick home counter-attack, Yates emerged from a cul-de-sac to pave the way for Hamilton to find Bowler, who sliced a shot into the side netting with his weaker right-foot.
At the other end, Cameron Humphreys split open the Blackpool defence with a perfectly-weighted pass and Bramall sped down the line before fizzing a centre which Maxwell had to acrobatically turn to safety.
Just before the half-hour mark, Conor Coventry volleyed a long range effort into the home fans behind the goal before Rotherham produced a rare moment of quality when Fosu and Rathbone combined smartly before Chiedozie Ogbene lofted a cross which Maxwell punched clear, under pressure from Hakeem Odoffin, although a free-kick was awarded.
Both teams traded chances when Hamilton almost burst clear but two Rotherham defenders halted his progress on the edge of the box before Grant Hall headed harmlessly wide from Coventry’s free-kick.
The Millers had strong appeals for a spot kick when Ogbene and Rathbone linked well down the right and the Republic of Ireland international dug out a cross which fell kindly for Rathbone, who fired goalwards, but a Blackpool defender – possibly with the help of an arm – charged down his effort.
There was further controversy, just seconds before the break, when James Husband’s header across goal presented an unmarked Yates with the chance to slot the ball home from close range, but any joy was soon curtailed by an offside award.
Half-time: Blackpool 0 Rotherham United 0
Following a scrappy start to the half by both sides, Rotherham had a half-chance when Rathbone’s clever pass saw Bramall skip down the left wing but the Millers full-back failed to make the most of the opening with a poor cross which Maxwell easily gathered at his near post.
Rathbone – often a driving force for Rotherham – then led from the front with a barnstorming run from halfway, which was only halted illegally and the Millers almost made the home side pay from the resultant free-kick.
Bramall stepped forward confidently to strike a lovely left-footed effort which beat the desperate dive of Maxwell, but unfortunately, the ball struck the outside of the post before dribbling to safety.
For the hosts, sub Charlie Patino stung the palms of Johansson with a half-volley from just outside the box before Rathbone did superbly well to find Jordan Hugill – in his last action of the game – but the Millers frontman failed to trouble the target.
The game was in the balance and Bramall darted away from the challenge of Bowler before clipping a cross which was met by the head of Odoffin but Maxwell plucked his effort out of the sky.
The Millers were looking the most likely with Rathbone pulling the strings – and the box-to-box midfielder was at the centre of another Rotherham attack – which ended when he latched onto a loose ball, before looking to pick his spot with a fierce drive but Maxwell, at full stretch, produced a fine save to deny him.
Taylor was not resting on his laurels and he turned to attacking reinforcements, in the shape of Tom Eaves and Quina and Eaves, in particular, was proving a handful to the Blackpool defence.
The game had a lively finish and both sides could have won it in stoppage time.
Hall failed to deal with a long punt forward and Yates looked set to haunt his former club by slotting home but Johansson came to Rotherham’s rescue by blocking his effort, at close quarters.
There was further drama to come when Rathbone led a cavalry charge from midfield and Ogbene weighed up his options before striking a lovely effort which cannoned against the top of the crossbar – in the game’s last act.
Full-time: Blackpool 0 Rotherham United 0
Blackpool 0
Rotherham United 0
Teams: Blackpool- Maxwell, Connolly, Husband, Yates, Bowler, Dougall, Carey, Hamilton (Rogers 64), Lyons, Thorniley, Trybull (Patino 23) . Unused- Grimshaw, Gabriel, Thompson, Poveda, Apter
Rotherham- Johansson, Bramall, Coventry, Fosu, Hugill (Eaves 69), Ogbene, Rathbone, Hall, Peltier, Odoffin (Quina 76), Humphreys. Unused- Vickers, Harding, Washington, Ferguson, Wright.
Referee- J Smith
Attendance- 12262
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