Millers 2 - Stoke City 2

Last updated : 14 October 2018 By Millersmad

Substitute Bojan scored a dramatic 85th-minute equaliser as Stoke's frustrating start to the season continued with a 2-2 draw at Rotherham on Saturday evening.

The Potters clearly had the edge over their opponents in a tight first half, although there was a plot twist shortly after the restart when Ryan Manning netted for the Millers from the spot (47), before Richie Towell poked a quickfire second (50).

Tom Ince reduced the deficit soon afterwards when he swept home Erik Pieters' low cross (59) and Joe Allen hit the crossbar with a sweet volley, but then former Barcelona playmaker Bojan headed home Benik Afobe's cross to equalise for the visitors.

 

Despite earning a point apiece, the draw leaves Stoke and Rotherham 17th and 18th in the Sky Bet Championship standings respectively, each with a 10-point haul from the first 10 games of the season.

Gary Rowett's struggling side had a point to prove from the first whistle. They enjoyed extended spells of the first period almost exclusively in Rotherham's half, yet Semi Ajayi and Richard Wood defended admirably to dull the threat of Afobe in the Potters' attack.

But 10 minutes prior to the half-time whistle, frontman Afobe had the half's best opening as he majestically leapt above Wood to head Pieters' cross onto the bar.

Manning crashed a shot into the side netting after a careless throw from Jack Butland, but that was the closest the Millers - who lacked both physicality and a cutting edge - came to breaking the deadlock.

That changed inside two minutes of the restart. Ryan Williams was clumsily brought down by namesake Ashley and Manning struck a powerful penalty beyond the clutches of Butland.