Player ratings and match stats from Northampton Town 0 Rotherham United 2
Millers writer Paul Davis gives his assessment on a great first League One match in charge for Matt Hamshaw at Sixfields Stadium last night.
Millers (3-4-1-2)
Cameron Dawson: 7
Made one great save and handled high balls into the box well.
Joe Rafferty: 7
Plenty of good distribution in an unfamiliar role as a centre-half in a back three. Put some telling balls into channels.
Hakeem Odoffin: 8
Dominant at the back in the air and the ground. Excellent defending from him. But he knows he should have put his name on the scoresheet twice.
Cameron Humphreys: 7
Read the game well and was very comfortable in possession.
Pelly Mpanzu: 8
Busy, busy, busy. Didn't always make the right decisions as he played as a wing-back for the first time, but he had a major impact. Capped an impressive display by opening his Millers account.
Liam Kelly: 7
Quietly effective with his passing and challenging. Near always found his man and kept getting a foot in to stop Northampton attacking.
Joe Powell: 7
Better on free-kicks and corners than he has been in recent weeks. Will be an important player under Matt Hamshaw who loves a set-piece goal. Earned himself an assist for the second goal.
Reece James: 7
Got up and down the left flank well as a wing-back and put in some decent deliveries.
Louie Sibley: 7
Flashes of quality as a '10'. Rotherham still need more from a talented player.
Sam Nombe: 8
Worked so hard, so hard. Intelligent running, persistent running. A constant menace. Deserved his goal.
Mallik Wilks: 7
A sporadic threat. Responded to the presence of the new boss. Made a top-speed 40-yard run back to get in a tackle. I don't think we've seen that before this season.
The subs
Jordan Hugill (for |Sibley 73): NA
Looked more motivated than in previous games.
Jonson Clarke-Harris (for Wilks 82): NA
His touch was too heavy and he couldn't get going.
Jack Holmes (for Nombe 90+3): NA
No time to make an impact.
Not used: Dillon Phillips, Jake Hull, Harrison Duncan, Kane Richardson.
Northampton (3-4-3): Lee Burge 7; TJ Eyoma 5 (Nesta Guinness-Walker 82), Max Dyche 6, Luke Mbete 5 (Dara Costelloe 70); Akin Odimayo 6, Ben Perry 6, Terry Taylor 7, Mitch Pinnock 7, Cameron McGeehan 5, Sam Hoskins 6, Tyler Roberts 5 (Tom Eaves 70). Subs not used: Nik Tzanev, Aaron McGowan, Will Hondermarck, Jack Baldwin.
Goals: Mpanzu 22, Nombe 65 (Rotherham)
Referee: Scott Simpson (Staffordshire)
Attendance: 5,720 (339)
Opposition view
“I kept the players in the changing room afterwards because I just wanted to clarify a lot of things. Simple as that.
“We weren't good enough and that's why we were beaten. We lost to two really poor goals again. It's very similar to the goals we've conceded in the past few weeks.
“I felt we were slightly better than what we were against Blackpool in our last home game but the manner of the two goals we gave away was not acceptable.
“It's not up to our standards. There was a reaction in the second half and we gained a bit of momentum.
“But the first attack they have, it's just a ball from the goalkeeper and we kick it out for a corner. The corner didn't look like it was supposed to come in like it did but suddenly there's a scramble, we don't clear it and it bounces to their lad.”
– Town boss Kevin Nolan
The stats
Possession: Northampton 55 per cent, Millers 45
Goal attempts: Northampton 8, Millers 15
On target: Northampton 3, Millers 6
Touches in opposition box: Northampton 24, Millers 24
Corners: Northampton 1, Millers 4
Fouls: Northampton 9, Millers 16
Final word
Immediate Hamshaw impact.