Bad night for Millers

ROTHERHAM United slipped further into trouble near the foot of the Championship after coming off second best in a scrappy match at Reading.

The hosts struck just after the hour mark to win 1-0 and leave Neil Warnock still waiting for his first victory after three games in charge. With MK Dons drawing with Huddersfield on the night, the Millers now stand six points from safety with 13 matches to go.

Warnock recalled Joe Mattock, Richard Wood and Grant Ward and although there was precious little good football to be seen, his side gave as good as they got in the first half.

Wood’s header forced a full-length save and Richie Smallwood was booked for diving when he looked to have a justifiable claim for a penalty.

Before that, Joe Newell was forced to chest off the line and Yann Kermogant flashed a good chance wide. Rotherham ended the half with five players on yellow cards, leaving them walking a tightrope for the second 45 minutes.

Both teams continued to labour in the second half until a mistake saw Reading take the lead on 66 minutes. Paul Green lost possession on the edge of the area and Hal Robson-Kanu pounced to fire low past Lee Camp.

Warnock intrduced the fresh legs of Leon Best and Matt Derbyshire and gave a first run-out to Jerome Thomas late on but apart from a header from Ward which drifted wide, they didn’t really threaten an equaliser.

Reading: Al Habsi, Gunter, Obita, Cooper, McShane, Hector, Norwood (Rakels 65), Quinn, Robson-Kanu, Kermogant, John

Millers: Camp, Richardson, Mattock, Broadfoot, Wood, Halford (Derbyshire 79), Smallwood, Green (Thomas 73), Newell, Grant Ward, Clarke-Harris (Best 73)

Referee: K. Johnson

Attendance: 13,504 (271 visitors)