Rotherham United pay penalty for itchy trigger finger

Following the conclusion of this game, Paul Warne was left to reflect on a rough, tough old industry after Rotherham United’s competitive return to action.

He will not recall the Millers’ first visit to Moor Lane with any particular fondness.

It was an incongruous game which his Rotherham team bossed in their first appointment in almost exactly six months against tepid hosts, but managed to carelessly end up on the losing side as Salford won their historic first Carabao Cup tie.

Salford managed to score with their only effort on target in 90 minutes, a 84th-minute penalty conceded in reckless fashion by debutant Millers goalkeeper Jamal Blackman, who despite having relatively little to do, did not cover himself in glory.

By contrast, the Millers had 14 attempts on goal and five on target. But they toiled in finding a way past Salford goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky, rock-solid on debut.

It was the proverbial tale of two goalkeepers. Hladky’s surety was in marked contrast to the hesitancy of Blackman and it came as no surprise that the Czech – after thwarting the Millers in regulation time – would make a significant contribution in the shoot-out, saving Joe Mattock’s effort to secure a 4-2 victory on penalties for the Ammies.

For Warne, it was his side’s lack of ruthlessness in a game that they should have put to bed with plenty of time to spare – in the event, only a ‘96th-minute’ leveller from substitute Matt Crooks took the tie to penalties – that rankled with him.

The Millers chief, who handed debuts to Blackman, Wes Harding and Kieran Sadlier – with the latter showing vestiges of quality in his maiden appearance – said: “I do not think my keeper had a save to make apart from the penalty and we still bow out.

“I am disappointed on that and that is where I am at.

“It is difficult to judge Jamal on what he had to do. Sads put some great balls in and got better as the game went on.

“Wes played a part. He is going to have a relationship with Chieo (Chiedozie Ogbene), I do not think it is fully there yet, but there are pockets of goodness and we need to improve him and that is what we are paid to do.

“Chieo is a good player and created a lot of chances. He probably could have scored early on, if he had pulled the trigger.

“I think that is what disappoints me the most. I do not think we pulled the trigger enough.”

The introductory message on joint Salford City owner Gary Neville’s Twitter account simply says ‘Attack The Day.’

On Saturday, the attacking was almost exclusively delivered by the Millers, right from the moment that Michael Smith – who showed signs of ring-rust – fired over in the first minute.

Ogbene, who had the beating of left-back Ibou Touray, cut inside and fired a curling shot just wide before Hladky announced himself and made a key block at the feet of the Millers winger.

More heroics were to come, with a sharp tip-over denying Jamie Lindsay and it continued on the restart as Harding’s goalbound drive was turned over before Ogbene endured more frustration when his effort was saved by the legs of Hladky.

All the while, there was the nagging fear that Salford might just make an opportunity count when one fell their way.

Indeed they did, if not in the way most expected.

The breakthrough came when Blackman erred in failing to spot the danger and race off his line quickly enough following a dangerous through-ball.

When he did, he clumsily caught substitute Tom Elliot, with referee James Oldham, who otherwise had a questionable afternoon, correctly pointing to the spot.

After scoring two goals against Rotherham in their previous competitive meeting in the colours of Rochdale on March 7, ex- Miller Ian Henderson again dined out at his old club’s expense.

That said, his penalty was a saveable one, with his effort squirming under Blackman.

The Millers persisted and after home captain Ash Eastman headed against his bar, the pressure told when Crooks’s effort deflected in with seconds remaining.

But it was the hosts who held their nerve from the spot with Touray, Henderson, Darron Gibson and Brandon Thomas-Asante all converting, while Kyle Vassell – who hit the post – and Mattock fluffed their lines.

Afterwards, Salford manager Alexander’s slanted view of events referenced how his side had played ‘exceptionally well’ against Rotherham; the sort of reality-defying comment that Sir Alex Ferguson would have been proud of in his heyday.

Ferguson’s inherent bias usually arrived on the back of a Manchester United win and Alexander’s comments also came with a victory in the bag. A win is a win.

For Warne, there is the minor consolation of a less congested September. But he would have rather had the problem.

He added: “I am disappointed now because I hate losing. I hate losing in pre-season and you see my face if I lose.

“Now we play Wycombe and then prepare for the Millwall home game, do I really want a League Cup game in between? Possibly not.

“If I had one, would I have been pleased to win? Definitely.

“But if we have a good cup run, it is eight games in September. Considering we have not played competitively for six months, it is a tall order. But we definitely came here to win.”

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James Mitchinson