The game started with both teams looking to gain the moment with early long range chances. Rotherham was keeping...
Rotherham United ‘A’ v Leeds United ‘B’The game started with both teams looking to gain the moment with early long range chances. Rotherham was keeping a good defensive shape and was looking at hitting Leeds on the break with longer passes through. Leeds United were reading this tactic well and was cutting many passes out and then in turn created counter attacking situations for themselves. It was a good passing move which created the opening goal, Leeds scored the goal with some great combination play in front of Rotherham’s goal to send them 1-0 up.
Rotherham work well to get back into the game and with a solo goal from Hussain Salem to bring the game level again. It was a couple of minutes later when Salem added his second to the game with a cheeky flick. It could have been 3-1 to Rotherham United but the skipper Joe Briggs missed a penalty after Leeds gave away 6 fouls.
The second half started to get a lot more physical but still some great football was played. Rotherham added more goals one from a well worked corner scored by Joe Briggs, another from quick play from a kick in Scored by Brad Blamires and the last was from a penalty again after 6 fouls this time it was smashed home by Brad Blamires who grabbed his second of the game.
Rotherham United ‘B’ v Doncaster Rovers ‘B’
The game started very edgy with both teams not looking to give much away. Rotherham passed the ball well but Doncaster held a good defensive shape and Rotherham didn’t manage to penetrate they could only come up with long shots which were getting dealt with well by the Doncaster goalkeeper. The first half was more about possession then chances and it ended 0-0 at the break.
The second half started much better with both teams having better rotations and were causing each other more harm with the movement off the ball. Doncaster had a long range shot deflected which helped the ball loop into the top corner of Rotherham’s goal. This sparked a much better reaction from Rotherham and with 10 minutes to go the team went with the tactic of ‘fly keeper’ to help create the overload in Doncaster’s half. This was used successfully by Rotherham who was creating a lot more chances with having the extra man. Unfortunately for Rotherham, Doncaster’s goal keeper was having the game of his life stopping everything in his way, if it wasn’t the goal keeper it was the woodwork which was stopping the millers from getting an equaliser.
Overall a good exciting game and both teams can hold their heads high.
Chris Kirby had this to say after both games ‘The lads are performing well in training and it is really showing in the games. The tactical work we have been working on is starting to show however this still needs tweaking. I am proud of how the lads conducted themselves when the Leeds game got physical. I am also pleased with how the B team adapted to using the fly keeper without much work during training. Overall a lot more positives than negatives.’ Participation Officer James Cole added; ‘the teams have come on a lot since the start of the season and they can take confidence from their performances today, there is a strong case for saying that we were the better side in both games and I’m sure that their hard work in training will soon be mirrored by the results on the pitch’.