Lots of fans, not enough players and the sorrow of the missing sweets ... the story of Parkgate FC 0 Rotherham United 3

There were bodies clustered everywhere around three sides of the pitch as Rotherham United opened their pre-season campaign by doing battle with neighbours Parkgate FC at Roundwood.

Yet if the annual fixture didn't suffer from a lack of numbers, the Millers certainly did.

New arrivals have so far been scarce and, also, manager Matt Hamshaw wasn't taking any risks with a few of his players affected by minor issues.

Rotherham usually field two separate 11s in each half in the summer curtain-raiser but this time some senior men had to press on beyond the interval while the call had gone out to the kids to supplement the boss's options.

The Millers lined up three at the back, using full-backs Joe Rafferty and Reece James as makeshift central defenders. Hamshaw had little choice really as Zak Jules was his only fit centre-half.

"As you could see, we're a little bit short," he said. "We've put 60 minutes into some of the lads. The hard work continues on recruitment."

Rotherham eased to a comfortable victory, scoring all their goals before their break and then seeing out the contest in the final half an hour when they looked more like a youth team than a League One outfit.

The atmosphere was warmer than the weather as 1,000 supporters gathered for a familiar grassroots occasion with a lovely community feel.

Ticket money and bar takings go a long way to keeping non-league Parkgate on a decent financial footing. Red-and-white tops buzzed here and there on one side of the whitewash while on the other it was amber with white tops as spectators enjoyed a lager or two.

At the end, there were smiles, photos and autographs. The only slightly glum face belonged to Millers winger Jack Holmes who had hidden some energy-restoring sweets by a hedge only to find they'd been pinched when he went to reclaim them.

Hamshaw's men had endured a tough first eight days of pre-season but still managed to carry a spring in their step on a blustery Friday evening on the eve of their departure for even more sessions of sweat in Portugal.

“Fitness wise, the lads are looking good," the manager said. “This week has been all about individual fitness. They did ten 400-metres runs in the afternoon yesterday. Every day has been a ‘double’ day.

“We'll start now to look at things tactically and how we're going to play. Obviously, there will still be a lot of elements of early-morning runs et cetera. It was a good opportunity tonight for the lads to get back out in front of the fans again.”

It was a worthy workout. Parkgate stayed true and never stopped trying to make a game of it. These players are some of the best in local football, remember, and the Northern Counties East League Steelmen, who ply their trade in the tenth tier of English football, had their moments.

For Rotherham, Joe Powell was lethal, left-footed class in the opening period while wide midfielder and first-year pro Kane Richardson was full of attacking intent and bursting acceleration. He needs to work on his crossing, mind!

Amid all this was a new face: number 19, blond, agile, making an instant mark.

Josh Benson continually killed the ball dead and used it cleverly. The midfield man's goal, a near-post header that somehow wormed over the line wasn't a thing of beauty but it was the only scruffy part of his game.

He's a trialist after leaving Barnsley and a good one. ‘Championship quality,’ said some Tykes fans on social media when news broke of his Millers involvement. ‘If you can keep him fit.’

Benson opened the scoring early on, Powell added to the tally direct from a corner and then produced the moment of the night, beating two players and spearing a shot into the top corner from just outside the penalty area.

After the break, it was the turn of another youngster, James Clarke, to impress, while the new boy in goal had little to do but showed a safe pair of hands. If any 6ft 7in keeper can take a high ball, Ted Cann.

Experienced centre-back Sean Raggett, his injured knee taped up, watched from the sidelines while beanpole teenager Josh Ayres, taking his first steps in the sport as a striker, was pressed into action at the heart of the backline.

Hamshaw mingled with the crowd and then performed media duties on the other side of the hedge where the Great Confectionery Heist had taken place.

He had planned to speak outdoors but a sprinkler had a mischievous glint in its eye and the wind was playing havoc with the microphone reception so into the Roundwood gym we trooped.

“I think it's a great tradition playing Parkgate in the first game,” he said. “The fans would have wanted to see a few more new faces. I totally understand that.

“They've still come and watched more or less the under-18s for that last half an hour. It means a lot. The academy is going to be big over the next few years. We're in a process of change and working as hard as we can to make sure those changes are implemented.”

As the interview drew to a close, Holmes trooped past the gym door munching sadly on a sandwich, his sweets nowhere to be seen.

Rotherham first half: Cameron Dawson; Joe Rafferty, Zak Jules, Reece James; Jack Holmes, Shaun McWilliams, Josh Benson, Joe Powell, Kane Richardson; Jordan Hugill, Josh Kayode.

Rotherham second half: Ted Cann; Joe Rafferty, Josh Ayres, Reece James; Jack Holmes, Shaun McWilliams, Josh Benson, Cairo Hazell, James Clarke; Ciaran McGuckin, Reece Wilson.

Off after 63 minutes: Rafferty, James, McWilliams and Benson. On: Toby Downing, Tom Renshaw, Ben Scothern and Micah Lewens.

Parkgate starting 11: Cheeseman, Abudu, Anesu, Rudd, Gordan, Arnold, Ridge, Moore, Gregory, Eckhardt, Staniland.

Referee: Waqar Ahmed

Assistant referees: Matt Rose and Craig Holland