Player ratings and match stats from Rotherham United 0 Birmingham City 2

Rotherham United's Joe Rafferty in action against Birmingham City. Picture: Jim BrailsfordRotherham United's Joe Rafferty in action against Birmingham City. Picture: Jim Brailsford
Rotherham United's Joe Rafferty in action against Birmingham City. Picture: Jim Brailsford
Millers writer Paul Davis delivers his verdict following League One events at AESSEAL New York Stadium this afternoon.

Millers (3-4-1-2):

Dillon Phillips: 5

Made one decent save but was otherwise unconvincing.

Rotherham United's Joe Rafferty in action against Birmingham City. Picture: Jim BrailsfordRotherham United's Joe Rafferty in action against Birmingham City. Picture: Jim Brailsford
Rotherham United's Joe Rafferty in action against Birmingham City. Picture: Jim Brailsford

Cameron Humphreys: 5

Not at his best. His half-time substitution wasn't a reflection on his performance, though, but rather a 'needs must' switch as Rotherham simply couldn't continue with the same shape.

Sean Raggett: 6

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Did reasonably well in his first match back after more than a month out through injury.

Jamie McCart: 5

Came closest to scoring for the Millers but found Lyndon Dykes a handful.

Joe Rafferty: 5

A good right-back who looks far less comfortable as a wing-back.

Hakeem Odoffin: 5

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Haks gives 100 per cent in every match but couldn't impose himself on a Birmingham side who ran the midfield almost from start to finish.

Christ Tiehi: 5

Tiehi plus Liam Kelly is a good combination, Odoffin plus Kelly is an effective pairing, Odoffin an Tiehi less so. The pair do too many similar things.

Reece James: 5

Another accomplished full-back who doesn't show the same fluency when he's in more of a wing-back role.

Mallik Wilks: 4

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He sometimes really ‘on’ and sometimes really ‘off’. This was very much an off-day.

Jonson Clarke-Harris: 4

Fans were hoping for more signs of improving sharpness after his first goal in open play last week but were left disappointed. Never a threat.

Sam Nombe: 5

His play wasn’t at the level it has been at in recent weeks, although he still managed to ask questions of the visitors’ defence now and then.

The subs

Joe Powell (for Humphreys H-T): 5

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Tried to make things happen going forward, struggled going backwards.

Joe Hungbo (for Wilks 74): NA

The loanee hasn't had the game-time he was hoping for. Played one good pass that released Jordan Hugill down the right flank.

Cohen Bramall (for James 74): NA

Another player lacking match minutes. Nothing to praise here, nothing to criticise either other than when he gambled in vain on the assistant referee giving a 'ball out' verdict and let his opponent get away.

Jordan Hugill (for Tiehi 74): NA

Missed with a header when he should have hit the target.

Not used: Cameron Dawson, Alex MacDonald, Jack Holmes.

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Birmingham (4-2-3-1): Bailey Peacock-Farrell 6; Taylor Gardner-Hickman 7 (Alfons Sampsted 79), Christoph Klarer 8, Ben Davies 8, Alex Cochrane 8; Tomoki Iwata 9 (Marc Leonard 90), Seung-Ho Paik 9; Willum Willumsson 8, Jay Stansfield 8 (Alfie May 79), Emil Hansson 6 (Keshi Anderson 62, 5); Lyndon Dykes 7 (Scott Wright 62, 6). Subs not used: Ryan Allsop, Ayumu Yokoyama.

Goals: Iwata 14, Stansfield 22 (Birmingham).

Referee: Edward Duckworth (Preston).

Attendance: 10,335 (2,168).

Opposition view

“Credit to the players because I think they got control of the game really quickly.

“It’s a notoriously difficult place to come to. All the games I’ve watched this season, they’ve made it uncomfortable for the opposition. For us to have that stability in our play was really impressive.

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“They changed from their usual shape to a back five but I thought our players adapted to that and there were some really good bits of play. We had good organisation and we looked pretty solid on set-pieces.

“We scored two exceptional goals. On both occasions it was Jay who made the runs but Lyndon who created the space.”

- Birmingham boss Chris Davies

The stats

Possession: Millers 32 per cent, Blues 68

Goal attempts: Millers 7, Blues 16

On target: Millers 1, Blues 4

Touches in opposition box: Millers 13, Blues 20

Corners: Millers 9, Blues 8

Fouls: Millers 15, Blues 11

Final word

Rotherham needed to be at their best to challenge the prospective champions and weren't.