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Rotherham United 3-1 Newcastle United U21
Hugill 20, 45+1                   Emerson 59
Osong 82

An early kick-off saw the Millers start on the front foot when a nice pass from Harrison Duncan, making his Millers debut, for Joe Rafferty saw him send it through for Esapa Osong the on loan forward seeing his shot blocked for a corner which Joe Powell didn’t get past the young Magpies defenders. Good work from the visitors saw Alex Murphy send the ball to Jay Turner-Cooke who won a free-kick which he took only to see the flag go up for an offside. On nine minutes Cohen Bramall won a throw in getting the ball over to Jack Holmes in the area but he headed the ball way wide. Turner-Cooke made his way into the area and despite getting the better of two markers he didn’t get a good touch on it and it went out for a goal-kick. Joseph Osong and Joseph Hungbo went forward together but some good defending from the Magpies saw the ball go out for a throw and minutes later nice build up from the Millers saw Osong send the ball to Shaun McWilliams who passed the ball back to Powell on the edge of the area but his shot went over the crossbar. Newcastle came close from a corner on nineteen minutes which Ben Parkinson climbed up for the ball going just over the crossbar for another corner which came to nothing. More nice work from the Millers saw flowing passing find Bramall who sent the ball to captain Jordan Hugill who headed home to put the hosts in front on twenty minutes. Osong took the ball forward with a maizy run getting just inside the area before letting fly only to see Aidan Harris in the Magpies goal get down well to save. Just after the half hour game the first yellow card was given to Jack Holmes for a foul. A Powell corner came out to Holmes who sent it to Raggerty who in turn put the ball into the area with a Newcastle defender doing well to stop Zak Jules getting his head on it. Another Powell corner found the head of Duncan but his header went wide before a Turner-Cook free-kick for the visitors saw Dillon Phillips make the save followed by a lovely ball in from Bramall which was meant for Hugill, the Millers skipper not able to get on the end of it with some more good defending from Charlie McArthur. Alex Murphy found himself with a lot of room in the area and was able to head the ball towards goal which Phillips did well to save from. In the minute of time added on Holmes won the ball back and worked his way into the area sending the ball to Hugill who spun around and hit the ball into the net to make it two-nil to the Millers at half-time.

There were two changes for the Millers at half-time with Ben Hatton and Christ Tiehi on for Joe Rafferty and Joe Powell. Five minutes in saw the Millers win a corner which Joseph Hungbo took finding Harrison Duncan who out jumped everyone else but headed just over. The first yellow of the second half from referee Ruebyn Ricardo went the way of Ciaran Thompson for a foul on Hungbo, the second, three minutes later to Cohen Bramall for a similar foul on Johnny Emerson. Just before the hour mark Newcastle pulled one back after a pass back from Zak Jules didn’t quite get to his ‘keeper Dillon Phillips with Emerson saying ‘thank you very much’ as he put the ball into the net making it two-one. A hand-ball saw Ben Hatton get the next yellow of the night followed by a couple of substitutions from the visitors with Sean Neave and James Huntley replacing Josh Donaldson and Anthony Munda. Shaun McWilliams was booked for a foul before Ben Parkinson sent a cross in for sub Neave who saw Phillips do well to keep hold of the ball. At the other end Jules sent a ball for Esapa Osong who tried his luck from distance only to see the ball go over the crossbar. The Millers won a corner which found it’s way to Hatton whose shot was too high before a change for the hosts saw Jake Hull on for sixteen year old Harrison Duncan. A silly foul in the middle of the pitch on Neave brought Jordan Hugill a yellow card. With fifteen minutes of the game remaining a lovely ball from Bramall for Osong saw the twenty year old get past his marker but then dragged the shot the ball going past the upright. Hatton had a shot blocked winning a corner which came back to him outside the box from Shaun McWilliams the ball put behind by Aidan Harris. Cohen and Jules worked together well the former putting the ball in the latter seeing his shot saved before McWilliams set Hungbo up who saw his shot go over. Hugill, set up by Hatton and looking for his hat-trick, tried his luck from distance which brought off an instinctive save from Harris before the Millers finished the game off on eighty-two minutes when Hungbo set off at pace and Bramall kept with him receiving the ball sending it in for Osong to tap home for his first goal in a Rotherham shirt. Two further chances for the visitors saw Darren Palmer and Alfie Harrison on for Ben Parkinson and Jay Turner-Cooke. Tiehi found Hugill with in the area the Millers skipper winning a corner which came to nothing before Joseph Hungbo made way for another young player making his debut Kane Richardson. There were tired legs out there for the last five minutes and the game ended with a number of niggly fouls and free-kicks but no more goals seeing the Millers top Group H in the Northern section of the competition.

A good work out for the ‘fringe players’ and it was nice to see a couple of our younger players out there tonight. And the Millers are now top of Northern Group H.

Attendance – 1,612 with 78 Magpies making their way down

Referee – Ruebyn Ricardo