Millers humble Wolves

Rotherham celebrate shoot-out victory

Last updated: 26th August 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Millers humble Wolves

McCarthy: Cup exit

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Lowly Rotherham humbled Wolves by dumping them out of the Carling Cup following a penalty shoot-out victory at the Don Valley Stadium.

The troubled Yorkshire club booked their place in the third round by winning 4-3 on penalties after the match had finished goalless.

Reuben Reid cleared the gloom for the League Two outfit, who started the season with a 17-point deduction, by converting the winning spot-kick.

Wolves, 68 places above the Millers in the league standings, dominated the majority of the possession during an open encounter, but the hosts more than held their own with Danny Harrison's superb strike clipping the crossbar in the first half.

Neill Collins and Karl Henry both put great opportunities over for the Championship side while Stephen Ward saw a second-half effort well saved.

Wasteful

But with poor finishing littering the entire 120 minutes it was evident penalties would be needed to settle a contest between two sides both unbeaten so far this term.

And so it proved as Championship side Wolves crashed out of the competition to lower league opposition once again, extending their dismal record of failing to reach the third round of the competition since 2003.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy made six changes from the side which beat Ipswich at the weekend, most notably goalkeeper Carl Ikeme coming in for Wayne Hennessey.

Defender Andrew Nicholas, meanwhile, was given his Millers debut after signing for the club just hours before.

The hosts showed they were not to be intimidated by their opponents from the off and Reid should have put them ahead inside the first minute.

The striker capitalised on some hesitant defending from Darren Ward to find himself clean through but the onrushing Ikeme managed to smother his effort.

However, the visitors soon started to impose their authority on the encounter with Rotherham remaining dangerous on the break.

Wolves defender Collins should have broken the deadlock after 15 minutes, failing to hit the target with a free header from Michael Kightly's corner.

Henry was next to miss a gilt-edged chance as he volleyed narrowly over the bar when the ball found its way to him from 12 yards out following a well-worked free kick.

But it was left to Harrison to remind the visitors the home side were still in the tie as his dipping effort clipped the bar with Ikeme seemingly beaten.

Injection

Chris Iwelumo was introduced at the break in place of Andy Keogh as McCarthy looked to inject some power to his forward line.

And his presence almost had an immediate effect as Ward brought the ball down in the area before forcing a great fingertip save from the outstretched Andy Warrington.

However, in similar fashion to the first half when Wolves dominated, Mark Hudson then wasted a great chance to give the home side the lead in the 72nd minute - blasting Reid's thunderous cross over the bar from six yards out.

The chance seemed to spur the League Two outfit into action and as extra-time loomed there was still time for Millers striker Drewe Broughton to pull a great chance wide with the goal at his mercy.

Kightly and Alex Rhodes both saw respective efforts fail to find the back of the net as the additional 30 minutes got under way at a healthy pace.

But the promise of a winning goal during extra-time fizzled out, leaving Reid to grab the headlines as Kevin Foley and Stephen Elliott missed for the visitors.