Denton brace in six goal thriller...
Rotherham United’s came from behind to overcome Fleetwood Town reserves. A brace from Alec Denton added to goals by Kieran Agard, Nicky Walker, Luke Beedham and Mitchell Rose to give the Millers all three points in their first Central League Cup game of the season.The Millers got off to the worst possible start, and Alan Goodall’s inswinging corner went straight in, with goalkeeper Tony Thompson unable to do anything under pressure. However, the Millers soon hit back and when Jason Taylor lofted a pass over Denton, there was Agard chasing into the box on the left hand side, and prodding home beneath Chris Maxwell to level the scores.
With the Millers in action last night, the side had a much younger feel to it, and when Beedham put them in front, there was no looking back. Denton carved out the opportunity from the right-hand side, and when it eventually fell to the feet of Beedham, he reacted quick to fire home via the inside of the post.
The goals didn’t stop there, and three minutes later they had a two goal cushion. This time Beedham it was doing the running, and when the onrushing Maxwell could only palm the ball half clear, Denton was on hand to strike home from the corner of the area into an empty net.
On 30 minutes, experienced campaigner Barry Nicholson, previously of Preston North End prodded home on the line to put the visitors within touching distance. It would have been all square moments later but for Thompson who raced off his line and produced a fine block when it appeared Rodrigo Branco was favourite to score.
That let off allowed Rotherham to quickly get back on the attack which they did emphatically with Walker creating from the right, and crossing low for Rose to pick his spot and rifle home from just inside the area.
Half-time
Millers 4-2 Fleetwood
Walker stepped up his game further in the second period, and was finally rewarded for his efforts on 50 minutes. Some over confidence in the Cod Army’s backline allowed Jason Taylor to steal the ball, and when his pull-back was behind Beedham, Walker was on hand to slide home the Millers’ fifth.
Jamie Milligan provided some rare positive moments for the away side in the second period, hitting the post and the crossbar from distance, but it was the Millers’ number two Nicky Hunt whose good footwork saw him dance his way through the defence before being hauled down in the box on 68 minutes. Laurence Wilson, a regular penalty taker with his former club stepped up, but Maxwell guessed the right way and pulled off an excellent save low to his left.
However, the miss was soon forgotten as half-time substitute Laurence McKay fizzed in a cross from the left which sat up nicely for Denton to volley home the Millers’ sixth and final goal of the afternoon.
The last action of the game saw Milligan again looking dangerous, but his shot, destined for the top corner, was palmed onto the bar by Thompson.
Full-time
Millers 6-2 Fleetwood Town
Millers: Thompson, Hunt (75), Lucas, Rowe, Wilson; Walker, Taylor, Rose, Agard (McKay HT), Beedham, Denton.
Unused: Warne
Fleetwood: Maxwell, McLaughlin, Cairns, Goodall, Wynn, Marrow, Milligan, Nicholson, Barkhuizen, Branco, Brown.
Subs: Cartwright, Peterson, Wright, Parker, Allen.