Internet Millers vs Internet Owls Review

Vs: Sheffield Wednesday
Location: Rotherham – Herringthorpe Playing Fields

Kick Off: 10:30am
Kit: Home Kit, Red IMFC shirt, White IMFC Shorts, Red IMFC Socks.
Score: Internet Millers won 9:5

Scorers:

S.Burns (3)

C.North (3)

J.Veal (2)

S.Pratt (1)

Squad
=====
1. Duds

2. Burnsy

3. Chris

4. Lee

5. Denti

6. John2

7. Mark M

8. Symon

9. JV

10. Shark

11. Paul El

12. Jammer

13. Dan

14. Gilby

Starting Formation and Tactics

After a strong defensive display against Sheffield United the Millers retained the 442 system. Shark took his place in the net with defensive power house Mark M partnering Paul El at centre back. Gilby and Denti took the full back roles to create a solid back 4. The midfield was unchanged from the starting lineup last week with the energetic Dan alongside the skilful Lee in centre midfield. Out wide Duds was hoping to save the world but in reality he was there to completely block up that side of the field! On the other wing was JV whose pace and quick feet provides a real threat down the wing. Up front leading scorer Burnsy made his return after a torn hamstring and he partnered Jammer up front as the Millers looked to hassle Sheffield Wednesday for the opening 30 minutes, Chris eagerly waited on the sidelines to get on and score some goals.

First Half

The Millers chose to go with the wind first half and hoped to get some goals up early on and kill the game. It was all going to plan as some neat football on numerous occasions almost saw IMFC open the scoring. In particular off corners a couple of good headers by Mark M whistled just wide. It wasn’t long till the Millers took the lead with a nice piece of skill by S.Burns. With the ball loose in the box Burnsy chipped the ball over his head which wrong footed all the defenders and on the volley he smashed into the bottom corner, welcome back Mr Burns.

It was soon 2-0 as S.Burns picked the ball up around the left touch line, as the defender dived in he skipped past and went on a mazy run down to the byline. JV lurked at the back post and as the defender mistimed the challenge and clattered Burnsy on his knee the ball fell to JV who side footed home to make it 2-0. A perfect start!

However, Sheffield Wednesday were dangerous on the break. Up front they had a small black lad who had fantastic close control, pace and a powerful shot. He was to cause no ends of problem for long periods of the game for the Millers.

Sheffield Wednesday got themselves back into the game in rather controversial fashion. The aforementioned Wednesday striker looked well offside but the game was waved on. It took a world class tackle by Denti to avoid a goal and shark quickly smothered the ball. He booted up field and IMFC were on the counter when the referee blew the whistle and gave a free kick right on the edge of the box to Sheffield. This was given for dissent after a few words regarding the offside and in the first defensive shuffle of the day Mark M had to come off the field of play for a while at request of the referee. Matters got worse for the Millers as Shark only parried the free kick to the oncoming strikers who smashed home to get the owls back into the game.

The Millers reacted superbly to this and minutes later won a corner where the 2 goal cushion was restored. The corner came in and JV got up well at the back post to win an header. The ball smashed against the bar and from about 1 yard out the ball hit a certain Mr Burns and went into the net. There was a few cries of hand ball but the goal stood, the hand of burns claiming the goal!

The Millers were dealt a further defensive blow as Gilby went over on his ankle and had to come off the field of play. After Jebu had a word with the ref and Mark the big man came back onto the pitch into centre of defensive with denti shifting over to right back. Duds was also tired so Symon went on out wide. There was also a switch up front with Jammer letting Chris get at the tiring legs at the back of the owls.

The substitution paid instant dividends, Burns dropped deep and went on a 20 yard run and then fed Chris on the edge of the box. In one movement the youngster turned and fired hard and low into the bottom corner. A classy finish gave the Millers a commanding 4-1 lead.

The pace of the front man for the owls was still causing problems. On the attack the Millers always looked likely to score, going close on a number of occasions but for the first time in a while we were looking defensively frail. With many forced changes the defence didn’t look settled and a long ball over the top allowed the owl striker to pace away and lob shark to make it 4-2 just before half time. It was a goal he definitely deserved.

Half Time: Rotherham United 4:2 Sheffield Wednesday

Second Half

The call at half time by Jebu was to keep as tight as possible for the opening 15 minutes of the half and build on the two goal lead by catching the owls on the break. John2 came on for JV and everyone was fired up to go out and do the business second half.

What pursued was a nightmare 5 minutes for the Millers. The wind got up, the snow started falling, the bits of sun that was occasionally bursting through completely went away and I’m sure the temperature dropped to minus 10! Two long balls by the owls over the top of the defence in the first 5 minutes of play allowed the pacy forward to get in behind and fire home to make it 4-4. With 40 minutes to go people started to look slightly concerned.

With Jebu contemplating a change the Milers went straight down the other end and made it 5-4. A ball into the box was met with a completely clumsy lunge on JV for a stonewall penalty. Up stepped Mr Burns who fired into the roof of the net to get his hatrick. Surely that would calm the nerves?

A free kick for the owls on the edge of the box was parried again by shark and there was a queue of Wednesday players waiting to poke the ball home to make it 5-5! There were cries of offside but the ref waved on as the Millers once again squandered their lead.

Jebu made a switch in play, shifting Dan out of the centre midfield role and into a man marking job on the fast owl striker in a centre back role. Jammer and Lee worked the centre of midfield for the remainder of the game.

The move proved crucial as Dan shadowed the owl striker all over and never gave him an inch to work with. Anything in the air was won easy by Mark M and the defence started to settle and looked solid for the remainder of the half.

The Millers were dealt a further injury blow as a re-occurring hamstring twinge forced Burnsy out of the game. Hopefully it is nothing too bad and he can return soon but these hamstrings are proving troublesome for both Jebu and Burnsy at this moment in time. Symon went up front as JV was already working the wing looking to provide counter attacking pace for the Millers.

What pursed epitomised the progress made with the young Millers players over the past couple of seasons. A rallying call was put out as to who wanted to be a hero and a number of people stepped up to that billing. As the Millers started to get a grip at the back and Lee was looking calm and collected in midfield, Chris found himself free in the box, he smashed the ball goal wards and despite an hand by the keeper it made the scored 6-5! Back in front!

Some more pressure by the Millers who were missing the problem of the wind by passing well and getting the ball out wide to the wingers to attack, led to another Millers goal! The ball dropped loose in the box and at an acute angle JV volleyed home to wild celebrations to make it 7-5 and restore a 2 goal cushion!

This visibly deflated the owls who had nothing left in the tank after what had been a gruelling game. The Millers looked fresh despite the conditions and ended strongly. Chris capped a superb performance in his 60 minutes on the pitch with another fine finish past the owls keeper to make it 8-5. His hatrick and a performance to remember.

With time running out Symon got in on the scoring as from a free kick on the edge of the box he surprised everyone, including me, when he took the free kick and it sneaked in at the near post. Not soon after the whistle went to end a cracking local derby game.

Full Time: Rotherham United 9:5 Sheffield Wednesday

Post Match Comments

An interesting game to say the least! With injuries and forced subs there was a lot of shuffling about at the back that I think was the reason we struggled. Couple that with the deadly pace of the owl striker and it wasn’t until Dan dropped in and man marked that we really looked comfortable.

I said last week that it was the defenders that won us the game against Sheffield United. This week it was our attacking flair and ability to stick the ball in the net numerous times that let us run out winners. If you are going to score 9 goals in a game then no matter what your defence is like you have a very good chance of winning the game. The bad conditions made it tough to defend but we ran out winners and I have to credit Sheffield Wednesday as they were a top set of lads and I believe the game and banter afterwards did the IFA proud.

A rest next week and then we will either be playing QPR at home or a local side again. Week after that is Watford away, which is not a league game but cup only. If we win that its through to the ¼ final again so its going to be a massive game for us. We owe Watford for them beating us early in season where no matter what we did their keeper pulled off numerous wonder saves.

MOTM: Chris for coming of age in a big local derby game. In bad conditions he answered the call for a hero and stuck in 2 more late goals to bag a hatrick and kill the game.

Jebu out….