DESPITE the terrible playingconditions Rotherham United heldon to gain a deserved point from adrab encounter with AccringtonStanley.

Rotherham looked jaded afterplaying so many fixtures recentlybut it was only the fine form ofAccies keeper Kenny Arthur thatprevented the home side taking allthree points.

Swirling winds at the Don ValleyStadium made it nigh onimpossible for either side to playgood football, resulting in afrustrating encounter.

Unfortunately for the home fans, whowere huddled together in the MainStand, their side were the poorer ofthe two in the first half.

Accrington, in their garish yellowaway strip, dominated and gottheir first chance after CraigLindfield found space in thepenalty area, but the on-loanLiverpool striker could only blazehis effort high and wide.

Despite the Millers looking weary

they produced the best chance ofthe half in the 22nd minute.

Reuben Reid’s galloping runforward gave him the opportunityto shoot. But his impressive 15-yard drive was met by an evenmore impressive save from keeperArthur.

As the half progressed Accringtonlooked increasingly dangerous onthe break.

And worse news for the Millers camewhen left-back Jamie Green wasforced off after sustaining a deadleg.

Marc Joseph deputised well at theback, but Stanley almost broke thedeadlock moments later when JohnMiles’ smashed shot was juststopped by Andy Warrington.

After a well-deserved half-timebreak, the fans returned to theirseats to face the Arctic conditionsonce more.

As for the players, it looked likeRotherham were still yearning tobe in the warm confines of thedressing room.

Stanley should have taken the leadafter the re-start but an unmarkedLindfield somehow blazed widefrom six yards out.

As the visitors pushed forwardMichael Symes had several chancesto take the lead but AndyWarrington in the Rotherham netheld firm.

At the other end, Ryan Taylorspurned a chance to take the leadwhen shooting wide before he thenhad an even better strike stoppedby the inspired goalkeeping ofArthur, who punched away hisfierce drive.

As Stanley closed ranks in the lastquarter of an hour, to ensurethemselves a point, the Millersfound space to work in.

However, the closest they came wassubstitute Ryan Taylor’s curlingshot that was palmed wide of thepost by Arthur, as play was drawnto a close.

All in all, this was a disappointinggame for the fans.

ACCRINGTON Stanley, who are they?Well, they are a better side than I gave

them credit for, that’s for sure.The famous milk advert from 1980s still

lingers over the Lancashire outfit like abad odour.

But rather than seeing it as a hindrance, ithas instead helped them establish theirplace in the Football League.

After the club famously collapsed in theSixties, it took them 45 seasons toeventually return.

And when they did it was based on ahard working squad, who mainlyemanatedfromMerseyside.

The two lads inthe notoriousadvert hadthick Scouseaccents.

As did six of Saturday’s starting line-upagainst the Millers.

And so did their manager John Coleman.Despite having the lowest home

attendances in the entire FootballLeague, it seems the team has reallypulled together under Coleman.

He has produced a hard-working outfit,with a never-say-die attitude, milkingwhat limited resources he hasextremely well.

And those left with a sour taste in theirmouth at the match on Saturday willnow be able to tell you exactly who thisdiminutive yet well-renowned club are.

The Musing Miller

Accringtonmilk theirresources

LEAGUE TWOTeam P W D L F A PtsBrentford 39 19 14 6 53 30 71Bury 40 18 12 10 54 39 66Rochdale 40 18 11 11 67 50 65Wycombe 39 16 17 6 45 28 65Exeter City 40 18 11 11 57 46 65Gillingham 40 18 11 11 54 51 65Shrewsbury 40 15 15 10 54 38 60Bradford City 40 16 11 13 58 48 59Chesterfield 39 16 11 12 60 51 59Dagenham 39 15 11 13 62 45 56Darlington 39 18 9 12 53 36 53Lincoln City 39 13 13 13 49 47 52Morecambe 39 12 16 11 45 46 52Rotherham 38 18 11 9 53 35 48Aldershot 39 13 9 17 53 70 48Accrington 40 11 11 18 40 52 44Notts County 40 10 14 16 45 58 44Port Vale 39 12 5 22 40 59 41Macclesfield 40 11 6 23 40 71 39Barnet 39 8 13 18 47 68 37Bournemouth 40 13 12 15 47 48 34Grimsby 40 7 12 21 44 65 33Chester 40 6 12 22 37 72 30Luton 40 13 13 14 56 60 22

by Simon Peachat Don Valley

Millers 0 Accrington 0

MATCH FACTSRotherham: Warrington 7, Tonge 6,Sharps 5, Fenton 7, Green 5 (Joseph27), Ryan Taylor 6, Mills 6, Hudson 7,Cummins 6 (Jason Taylor 7), Broughton5 (Burchill 6), Reid 6Subs Not Used: Cann, ClarkeBooked: Broughton, Mills.Accrington Stanley: Arthur, Edwards,Murdock, Charnock, Williams, Turner,Ryan, Procter, Miles, Symes, LindfieldSubs Not Used: Hibbert, Kay, Mullin,Grant, BellAttendance: 2,804Referee: Anthony Taylor (GreaterManchester)

STATISTICSMillers Accrington

Possession 53% 47%Corners 8 8Shots (On) 5 3Shots (Off) 4 4Fouls 11 12

ROTHERHAM United’sattacking prowess earnedthem a superb victoryagainst a dogged LutonTown in a passionatemidweek clash.

The defeat almost certainlyconsigns Luton, a side hit bythe FA with a 30-pointdeduction at the start of theseason, to relegation despitedictating most of the game atKenilworth Road.

However, Reuben Reid’s finish,Drewe Broughton’s stretch, DannyHarrison’s header and substitute MarkHudson’s drive helped Rotherham towhat proved to be an unassailablelead.

The fixture, which had it not beenfor defeat to Scunthorpe could havebeen repeated at Wembley this Sunday,was a high octane affair from the offsetas the home fans roared Luton on fromtheir quaint yet unusual ground.

Sustained pressure from the Hattersalmost resulted in an early goal when across from Tom Craddock found ChrisMartin unmarked at the back post. Buthis header went wide.

Undeterred, Luton continued topress forward looking for the elusivegoal that would help keep their fainthopes of remaining in the FootballLeague alive.

Reuben Reid, though, had not readthe script.

The rapid striker broke free ofGeorge Pilkington, then Keith Keane,before rifling home in front of thetravelling support just 11 minutes in.

The goal, against the run of play,only served to further fray tensions onthe field. And things boiled over whenWarrington was taken out afterclaiming a ball, with Martin and PabloMills both receiving bookings for theirparts.

When the game continued theeffervescent Kevin Gallen came closefor the home side before Reid almostgrabbed his second of the game at theother end.

The physical Broughton wasupsetting the home support andplayers with his rumbustious style.

And he upset them further whendoubling Rotherham’s lead by slippingthe ball under Luton keeper Dean Brillin the 38th minute.

The two-goal advantage, however,was short-lived when a Craddock’scross found Martin free once more. Butthis time he found the top corner of thenet.

But Luton, who started the gamenine points adrift at the bottom ofLeague Two, went further behind eightminutes after the restart whenRotherham’s only corner of gamesquirmed out to Danny Harrison whostruck home from 18-yards.

Despite the scoreline suggestingotherwise, it was Luton who continuedto press.

And in the 70th minute they reducedthe deficit to one goal, when Asa Hall’ssuperb turn and shot snuck into thebottom right hand corner.

The introduction of Sam Parkin forthe Hatters changed the dynamics upfront, but it wasn’t enough to preventfurther charges from Rotherham.

Dale Tonge saw his crashing driverebound off the goal frame before theMillers made it 4-2.

After a Luton attack broke down, thevisitors scurried forward on thecounter-attack through Reid beforelaying it to the overlapping Hudson,who thumped the ball past Brill tosecure the win.

United manager Mark Robins saidthat despite being safe from relegation,his side won’t rest on their laurels inthe final run in.

“There’s no feeling of job done. I’vesaid it before and I’ve said it all week,if anybody’s feeling like that theywon’t play,” he said. “It’s as simple asthat. They’ve got a duty to people whopay money to come and perform.”

“And they’ve got families to feed.We’re in a recession and they’ve gotcontracts to earn.”

He added: “The lads have donereally well but there are one or twosigns of a little bit of fatigue.”

“I motivate my players in the way Ialways do. I’ve mentioned four reasonswhy they have to be motivated.”

Millers on the marchLuton 2 Millers 4

United cannot beat Accies keeper

FIXTURES

Date Time Opponents Venue Comp

Sat 4 April 3pm Aldershot A L2

Sat 11 April 3pm Notts County H L2

Mon 13 April 3pm Port Vale A L2

Sat 18 April 3pm Shrewsbury H L2

Sat 25 April 3pm Bradford A L2

Sat 2 May 3pm Exeter H L2

by Simon Peachat Kenilworth Road

MATCH FACTSScore: Luton 2 Rotherham Utd 4Luton: Brill, Keane, Pilkington,Bower, Emanuel (Parkin 79), Nicholls,Livermore, Hall, Martin, Craddock,Gallen. Subs Not Used: Davis,Henderson, Asafu-Adjaye, JarvisBooked: MartinGoals: Martin 42, Hall 70Rotherham: Warrington, Tonge 7,Sharps 8, Fenton 7, Joseph 7, DannyHarrison 7, Reid 8, Mills 8, JasonTaylor 7, Burchill 6 (Hudson),Broughton 8 (Ryan Taylor). Subs NotUsed: Cann, Nicholas, ClarkeBooked: Martin.Goals: Reid 11, Broughton 38,Danny Harrison 53, Hudson 87Attendance: 5,975

STATISTICSLuton Millers

Possession 56% 44%Corners 13 1Shots (On) 9 6Shots (Off) 4 2Fouls 10 5

All smiles – Reuben Reid celebrateswith Jason Taylor

For all the latest news see our website at: www.dinningtonguardian.co.uk46 Dinnington and Maltby Guardian Friday 3rd April 2009