Rotherham United 0-0 Ipswich Town - Half-Time Saturday, 16th Apr 2022 13:36 The Blues and Rotherham remain level at 0-0 at half-time at the New York Stadium. Town boss Kieran McKenna handed 19-year-old Elkan Baggott his league debut, becoming the first Indonesian to feature in English league football. Baggott, whose only domestic appearance up to now was a start in the EFL Trophy tie against Gillingham two seasons ago, came in on the left of the back three with Cameron Burgess suspended. The only other changes from the team which drew 1-1 at Shrewsbury last week, were Dominic Thompson’s return to left wing-back for Matt Penney, who dropped to the bench, and Bersant Celina coming into the team with Conor Chaplin among the subs. The Millers, with the sun beating down on a warm South Yorkshire afternoon, were first to threaten in the third minute from a corner. Big striker Michael Smith nodded back across the box for Wes Harding, whose shot was blocked, then one-time Town trialist Chiedozie Ogbene curled over from outside the area. Town should have gone in front in the ninth minute. Sone Aluko sent Wes Burns away on the right and the Welshman sent over a superb low ball for James Norwood at the far post but somehow the striker contrived to divert it wide from a couple of feet. Neither side was able to get on top, both having spells on the ball without creating an opening. As the game approached the 20-minute mark, Burns sent a cross into the stand at one end and then Jordi Osei-Tutu did the same at the other. The home side were forced into a change in the 24th minute when Mickel Miller suffered a knock and Dan Barlaser replaced him, the players taking one of a number of mid-half drinks break due to the sunny conditions. Five minutes later, a looping free-kick in from the right was half-headed clear by Luke Woolfenden to the right of the box and Ben Wiles struck a low shot which was blocked. As the half moved into its final quarter of an hour, Rotherham were starting to dominate but with the Blues defending resolutely. On 35, Town won the ball just inside their half and broke via Celina on the left. The Kosovan international fed Thompson to his left and the on-loan Brentford man sent over a low cross which home keeper Viktor Johansson unconvincingly dived and pawed away behind Norwood. As the half moved into five minutes of injury time, Burns was booked for a foul on Osei-Tutu, the Rotherham man having thwarted him as he looked to burst towards the Millers’ box. Two minutes later, Celina joined him in the book with the home fans calling for a red. After Ollie Rathbone had blocked him off after he had laid off a pass a few yards inside the Town, the on-loan Dijon man shoved the midfielder to the ground. After some pushing and shoving involving a number of players, referee Peter Wright deemed the offence only worthy of a yellow card. Celina could perhaps count himself lucky. Wright blew his whistle soon afterwards to boos from the home support regarding that decision. There had been little in what at times had been a frantic period with both teams having spells, although with Rotherham perhaps shading it on that front. However, Town, while far from their most fluent with too many passes going astray in the opposition half, had had the game’s outstanding chance, Norwood’s spurned ninth-minute chance, while at the other end the backline had defended solidly with debutant Baggott looking far from out of place. Rotherham: Johansson, Harding, Osei-Tutu, Wiles, Ogbene, Miller (Barlaser 24), Lindsay, Rathbone, Ihiekwe (c), Edmonds-Green, Smith. Subs: Chapman, Wood, Mattock, Ferguson, Ladapo, Kayode. Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Baggott, Burns, Bakinson, Morsy (c), Thompson, Aluko, Celina, Norwood. Subs: Hladky, Penney, Carroll, El Mizouni, Chaplin, Bonne, Pigott. Referee: Peter Wright (Merseyside). Att: 9,364, (Town: 1,087).
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