Sam Nombe or Georgie Kelly? It was close, admits Rotherham United boss Matt Taylor

The striker came on in the 61st minute against Queens Park Park Rangers on Saturday and scored a superb equaliser in a 1-1 home draw within nine minutes of his introduction.

At AESSEAL New York Stadium yesterday evening, manager Matt Taylor went with record signing Sam Nombe in the starting 11 as regular centre-forward Jordan Hugill was rested on the bench.

However, the boss revealed it had been a tough call.

“It was a close decision who was going to start at the top of the pitch after Georgie's moment at the weekend,” he admitted. “There's no-one better than Georgie when you're getting good deliveries into dangerous areas.”

Summer arrival Nombe needed only four minutes to open his account for his new club in a 2-2 draw with the Tractor Boys.

Now, he, Hugill and Kelly - who again came on and played well - are vying for the centre-forward's role at Watford on Saturday.

Nombe slid in to convert Fred Onyedinma's low cross from the right to open the scoring against Ipswich.

“It was just positioning really,” he said. “I give credit to Fred for the ball. I found myself in the right space. I was thinking about getting myself into the game quite early.

“It was my first start at home so you have to adapt quickly and find the things that give you that extra boost, little moments that give you that one per cent.”

Taylor, whose 22nd-place side were a match for promotion-chasing Town, said: “The game suited Sam. That's why we started him.

“There was more space on the halfway line and space for him to 'run' into and hustle and bustle. We picked him for his ‘legs’ to hurry up the defenders.

“Sam is a confident boy so hopefully this is the start of good things to come from him and puts more pressure on the other forwards.”