Cardiff City vs Rotherham United. Sky Bet Championship.
Cardiff City Stadium.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Cardiff City and Rotherham at the Cardiff City Stadium as Marlon Pack's late goal for the Bluebirds condemns Paul Warne's side to relegation
Saturday 8 May 2021 17:09, UK
Rotherham have been relegated to Sky Bet League One after a 1-1 draw against Cardiff on a dramatic final day of the Championship season.
Rotherham were relegated back to League One after Marlon Pack's late equaliser denied them Championship survival.
Lewis Wing's stunning volley looked as if it was going to be enough to seal safety for the Millers, while Derby and Sheffield Wednesday battled out a 3-3 draw at Pride Park.
But Pack struck late to seal a 1-1 draw for the Bluebirds, which sealed an immediate return to the third tier for the South Yorkshire side as Wayne Rooney's Derby survived.
Millers manager Paul Warne made a pair of changes for their make or break clash with the Bluebirds.
Florian Jozefzoon, currently on loan from relegation rivals Derby, was tasked with relegating his parent club after being included as part of a front three, while Angus MacDonald slotted in at centre-back in place of Daniel Barlaser.
Sol Bamba returned to the Cardiff City squad for the last game of the season after undergoing his final course of chemotherapy in his ongoing battle with cancer.
Lee Tomlin also featured on the bench for the first time under Mick McCarthy, who named an unchanged starting side following their 4-0 triumph at Birmingham.
A stunning strike gave Rotherham a relegation lifeline after only eight minutes.
Wes Harding's cross was headed away from the Cardiff box by Perry Ng, but Wing advanced towards the high, floating clearance and unleashed a fierce volley that beat Dillon Phillips to his left for an invaluable lead.
After their flying start, the visitors had chance after chance to pile even more pressure on Derby and Sheffield Wednesday.
Captain Richard Wood headed wide from a corner before Matt Crooks sliced a shot wide after latching on to a cross from strike partner Michael Smith.
Angus MacDonald also had a shot cleared off the line, but despite their total domination, the visitors were unable to give themselves another relegation lifeline as the first half ended 1-0.
McCarthy's half-time message to his Cardiff players took effect as they came out firing in the second half.
Kieffer Moore fired over three minutes into the second period before being denied by some heroic defending from Wood.
The Rotherham bench were cheering every tackle, block and refereeing decision, but their enthusiasm waned after news filtered through of Martyn Waghorn's leveller at Pride Park.
Still, Smith pushed to make it 2-0 when he forced a save from a tight angle, but their efforts looked as if they were paling into insignificance when Patrick Roberts put Derby ahead.
But the director's box went wild when Callum Paterson equalised for the Owls to put Rotherham back in the driving seat.
As events unfolded across the border, there was still one twist left in the tale at the Cardiff City Stadium.
The hosts marched forward and found Pack with the space to drill a low strike into the bottom corner, meaning Rotherham's great fight for survival fell short.
Cardiff's Mick McCarthy: "It was a hard-earned point. Rotherham had real intent and were more aggressive, more forceful and better than we were. I was annoyed at half-time, it was as meek and mild as we have been and in the second half I thought we responded. We didn't deserve to win the game, but I am glad to get a point.
"There is a big difference between running for your lives and running for your dinner and Rotherham were, they were fighting for their lives and I thought their performance reflected that. But I did think that late on in the game, if we could keep hold of the ball and progress up then you get nervous, you really do, especially trying to preserve a lead that will keep you in the Championship.
"And they've had chances, we caught them on the break a few times, but they had one moment of weakness and we punished them. It is sad for them, but I didn't want to get beaten."
Rotherham's Paul Warne: "I hope pride will overcome the sadness. I've been asked about my future and all that but I'm absolutely broken at this moment in time. We dedicate our lives for 10 months, and right now I can't see any sunshine. But I'm immensely proud of how far this group has come.
"I feel a bit hollow and devastated for the group. I wanted them to leave the stage like heroes. There will be different people in the changing room next season, but that group of players should be cemented as gods of Rotherham Football Club.
"There would have been no greater feeling than if Derby had lost 3-2 and we'd won. I don't know when you're ever that ecstatic about anything. If someone gave you a new car you'd think great, but if you have something together as a group of warriors to enjoy but would have been amazing, but it's been snatched off us and it feels so harsh."
