MATCH REPORT: Victorious Millers tee-up play-off clash with Scunthorpe

Player of the Year Will Vaulks struck the only goal of the game midway through the second half to secure a 24th league victory of the season and a fourth-placed finish.

All attention will now turn to the two-legged meeting with Scunthorpe United, the first leg of which is at Glanford Park next Saturday and the return at the NYS on Wednesday week. Shrewsbury and Charlton meet in the other semi-final, both of whom ended the regular season with defeats.

Joe Mattock, Matt Palmer and Jon Taylor all returned to Paul Warne's starting line-up in what was the last chance to stake a claim for a play-off shirt and it showed because there was plenty of endeavour in the home ranks.

Rotherham made most of the running in the first half against a Blackpool side who arrived on a hot run of four wins from five. Again partnering David Ball up front in a 4-4-2, Michael Smith was prominent, firing across an open goal and then foiled by a vital last-ditch interception from Curtis Tilt.

The Seasiders hung with a mixture of pluck and luck and threatened only sporadically. Sean Longstaff curled a free-kick from a dangerous position into the grateful arms of Marek Rodak while Viv Solomon-Otabor had an effort deflected over.

Blackpool came out for the second half and looked much improved, picking their passes and settling into the game.

Attacking full-back Josh Emmanuel shoots for goal. Pic: Steve Mettam

They were just starting to get a real foothold when the deadlock was broken on 58 minutes. The ball broke to Vaulks on the edge of the box and he worked it onto his weaker left foot to smash home.

Even then, the Millers had to be switched on as the visitors switched to three at the back and pushed on. Colin Daniel and sub Callum Cooke both worked Rodak and Nathan Delfouneso hooked wide from a decent position. The Rotherham stopper also had to go full stretch to keep out Kelvin Mellor’s header.

Although Vaulks had a volley kept out not too convincingly by goalkeeper Christoffer Mafoumbi, the home side had two more escapes in the dying minutes before closing out the win.

It all made for good Saturday evening entertainment for the 9,000-plus crowd and the Millers will now go away and prepare for two huge games, with the carrot of a trip to Wembey and a swift return to the Championship as the prize.

Millers: Rodak, Emmanuel, Ihiekwe, Wood, Mattock, Taylor, Vaulks, Palmer, Williams (Forde 70); Ball (Towell 76), Smith (Lavery 55)

Blackpool: Mafoumbi, Mellor, Robertson, Ryan (Cooke HT), Longstaff (Cullen 67), Tilt, Solomon-Otabor (Agyei 67), Turton, Daniel, Delfounseso, Spearing

Referee: Ross Joyce (Cleveland)

Attendance: 9,512 (682 visitors)