Rotherham United’s reserves kicked off their Central League home campaign as they eased to a 4-1 victory over Morecambe on Tuesday afternoon.
A team containing a number of first team professionals including Anthony Forde, Joe Newell, Richard Wood and Jamie Proctor looked comfortable throughout the duration of their first action of 2018/19 at Roundwood and saw off the challenge of the Shrimps comprehensively.
Goals from Newell, Joshua Kayode, Proctor and Regan Hutchinson were telling on a cool afternoon at the Millers’ training base.
Newell opened the scoring for Matt Hamshaw’s side in style on the 10-minute mark after some silky footwork on the edge of the box allowed him room for a shot, which he bent out of the reach of the Morecambe stopper and just inside the post.
The visitors did find themselves level just after half an hour had elapsed when the impressive Oswell squeezed an effort inside the post, narrowly out the grasp of a fully-extended Lewis Price in the Millers goal.
Forde had been a standout performer for the Millers in the early exchanges and added an assist to his name as he showed good craft down the right before delivering a cross which Kayode leapt to head home just two minutes after the Shrimpers’ leveller.
HT| Reserves 2 v 1 Morecambe
The hosts continued to dominate but had to wait until the 64th minute for a third which came following more good work from wide man Forde. This time the Irishman provided the ammunition from a corner which took a nick off Kayode before landing with Proctor at the far post, who gratefully prodded home.
The 71st minute saw Newell replaced by Hutchinson in a change which would pay dividends less than 120 seconds later. The substitute needed just one touch of the ball to net a fourth for his side after a nicely weighted pass from Ben Wiles allowed the youngster to fire home as he burst into the area.
FT| Reserves 4 v 1 Morecambe
Reserves | Price; Beeden (Hodgkinson 82), Hull, Wood, Hinds; Forde (Lewthwaite 77), Wiles, Palmer (Carlton 74), Newell (Hutchinson 71); Proctor, Kayode.