Rotherham United began their 2021/22 pre-season campaign in style with a convincing win over local neighbours Parkgate at a warm Roundwood Sports Complex.
🎥| Millers boss Paul Warne discusses a good run-out against our friends from Parkgate and the upcoming pre-season training camp in Hungary.#rufc | #ForeverTogetherForeverProud pic.twitter.com/YUdR1nS0GX
— Rotherham United (@OfficialRUFC) July 10, 2021
Freddie Ladapo helped himself to a hat-trick, while Rawmarsh-born midfielder Ben Wiles chipped in with a couple of strikes as the Millers cruised to victory.
Michael Smith got the ball rolling in the 13th minute when he latched onto Dan Barlaser’s precise through ball to finish calmly past Walker.
Four minutes later and the advantage was doubled, as Joshua Kayode was hacked down in the penalty area before dusting himself down to convert from the spot.
With just over 15 minutes to go until the break, Richard Wood got his name on the scoresheet, with a brave diving header to divert Ogbene’s cross home.
HALF TIME | Parkgate 0 v 3 Rotherham
Rotherham First Half XI | Johansson; Harding, Cooper, Wood, Mattock; Ogbene, Barlaser, Lindsay, Durose; Kayode, Smith.
The second half saw the introduction of a completely new 11, including trialist left-back Reece Hutchinson and the fresh faces took no time to make their mark on the game.
Mickel Miller was the first to get his name up in lights as he drove into the box and finished emphatically before Freddie Ladapo got his first of the afternoon two minutes later, with a tap-in at the near post.
A flurry of goals saw the Millers extend their lead to eight, firstly with Ladapo adding his second, before both Kieran Sadlier and Ben Wiles scored.
With 14 minutes to go, Ladapo completed his hat-trick, sweeping the ball home from a low Sadlier cross.
The Millers were not done there though, as they added two more goals in the final six minutes to put more gloss on the scoreline.
Firstly, Crooks raced onto a cross from Hutchinson to score, before Wiles saved the best for last with a thunderbolt from outside the area.
FULL TIME | Parkgate 0 v 11 Rotherham
Rotherham Second Half XI | Vickers; Greenhouse, Ihiekwe, Hull, Trialist; Sadlier, Wiles, Crooks, Miller; Ladapo, Gratton.