MATCH REPORT: Sorry Millers thrashed by Cardiff

ROTHERHAM United’s season hit a new low in South Wales as they were thrashed by Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City.
Debutant Joel Ekstrand fights for possession at the Cardiff City Stadium. Picture: Trevor PriceDebutant Joel Ekstrand fights for possession at the Cardiff City Stadium. Picture: Trevor Price
Debutant Joel Ekstrand fights for possession at the Cardiff City Stadium. Picture: Trevor Price

The hosts took full advantage of a listless display to win 5-0 and inflict the heaviest defeat of the campaign on the Championship’s bottom club.

They hardly laid a glove on Cardiff and were left chasing the game from the moment Kadeem Harris curled in the opening goal on 11 minutes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Although Richard O’Donnell’s smart block prevented Kenneth Zohore making it 2-0, the stopper was beaten moments before half time when a stray Ben Purrington back pass allowed Junior Hoilett, fresh on as a sub, to guide the ball home.

Rotherham started the day short on numbers due to a combination injuries and the absence of Cardiff loan pair Semi Ajayi and Tom Adeyemi, who weren’t allowed to play against their parent club. Swedish centre-half Joel Ekstrand made his debut in place of Ajayi and Dexter Blackstock deputised for the injured Danny Ward.

 

Richie Smallwood fends off Cardiff City's Rhys Healey.

Interim manager Paul Warne was still entitled to expect better and the players looked demoralised after they shipped two goals in five minutes early in the second half. Craig Noone volleyed in the first and  Zohore arrowed in the next over O’Donnell from an angle.

Rotherham managed a couple of tame efforts from substitute Anthony Forde and the typically persistent Jon Taylor but were wanting the full-time whistle to blow long before Zohore lobbed in his second and Cardiff’s fifth on 83 minutes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The gap to safety is back up to 15 points with 13 games to play, a return to League One getting closer by the week.

Cardiff: McGregor, Morrison, Richards, Bamba, Ralls, Connolly, Gunnarsson,Noone (Pilkington 72) Harris (John 80), Zohore, Healey (Hoilett 45)

Millers: O’Donnell, Kelly, Purrington, Ekstrand (Belaid 68), Wood, Taylor, Vaulks, Smallwood, Newell, Mattock (Forde 46), Blackstock (Yates 59)

Referee: Jeremy Simpson (Lancs)

Attendance: 15,650