Millers see off challenge of Grimsby Town...
Rotherham United’s second string added fuel to their push for the Central League title as they convincingly defeated Grimsby Town 4-0 at Roundwood on Tuesday afternoon.
A brace a piece for Kyle Vassell and Joshua Kayode ensured a comfortable victory, as boss Paul Warne and his staff cast their eye over the fixture from the sidelines.
Matt Hamshaw oversaw the reserve clash with the Mariners, which saw the Millers hand vital game minutes to the returning Clark Robertson and Vassell, while Darren Potter completed 90 minutes in his quest to return to match fitness.
The Millers flew out of the traps at Roundwood and asserted their dominance over a young Mariners side with a series of dangerous crosses into the box in the early exchanges.
It was one of those crosses that provided the hosts with the opener with just six minutes showing on the clock. Anthony Forde’s surge up the right flank allowed him room to deliver a ball into the box, which Kyle Vassell met smartly as he stooped to head home at the near post.
The same pair combined to devastating effect just moments later in a near identical move for the reserves’ second goal of the afternoon. It was the Irish winger again who provided the ammunition after a charge into the box saw him clip a ball towards Vassell at the back post, who made no mistake as he planted a header beyond Hugo Banks in the Grimsby Town goal.
Matt Hamshaw’s side continued their ruthless start to proceedings and went 3-0 up before 15 minutes had elapsed. Forde made it a hat-trick of assists as he swung in the corner for the Millers’ third, which Kayode rose in the box to head home and put further daylight between the two sides.
Grimsby didn’t show any signs of relenting in their efforts, despite the scoreline being heavily against them. Rumarn Burrell did really well to run in behind and latch onto a through ball, which saw him beat the onrushing Charlie Farrar and commendably stay on his feet as the goalkeeper threw himself at his feet. However, the angle became less favourable as he did so, in the end leaving him no option but to cross. Harrison Beeden found himself well-placed on the goal line to head clear with a number of Grimsby players lurking behind him to apply the finish.
Half-time | Reserves 3 v 0 Grimsby Town
The second half didn’t yield the same goalmouth pressure that the first had provided in the early exchanges and chances of note were few and far between.
Clark Robertson, featuring for the reserves following his injury, came close to adding to the hosts’ tally as he leapt in the box to redirect a Darren Potter ball in from the left back across the face of goal, but a retreating defender ensured the scoreline didn’t increase as he hooked the effort off the line.
The Millers got a fourth for the afternoon and Kayode got a second on the hour-mark when the reserves’ front two combined to lethal effect. The hosts’ aerial threat had proven too much for the Mariners to handle in the opening 45 minutes and the goal came from another cross into the box, this time from Vassell, which Kayode applied the final touch to, beating Banks in the process.
Matt Palmer threatened a fifth from a set piece 25 yards from goal, shaping up a free kick which went up and over the wall before dipping just wide of the near post with the goalkeeper well-beaten.
The last chance of note came for the visitors and Rumarn Burrell after a clever run through the centre of the pitch from Brandon Buckley allowed the forward to latch onto a pass in the box, only to see his effort creep wide of the far post as Farrar raced out to narrow the angle.
Full-time | Reserves 4 v 0 Grimsby Town
Millers | Farrar; Beeden, Robertson (Carlton 62), Cooper, Hinds; Gratton, Potter, Palmer, Forde (Peel-Evans 62); Kayode (Hodgkinson 83), Vassell (Etia 62).
Unused | Hull.