Millers pipped by Leicester

Goals from Riyad Mahrez and David Nugent sentenced the Millers to a 2-1 defeat in their penultimate warm-up game before the big Championship kick-off despite Grant Ward’s late reply setting up a close finish.

The home line-up included eight summer arrivals, including goalkeeper Kelle Roos, the season-long loan from Derby, and Chris Maguire from Sheffield Wednesday.

A cagey first half produced few chances for either team and it was 33 minutes before the Millers’ first shot, from Matt Derbyshire. While Leicester saw more of the ball, they were kept at arm’s length by a back line well led by Tom Thorpe and Danny Collins.

Jordan Bowery was an early susbstitute for the injured Danny Ward and really should have capitalised on a one-on-one soon after half time.

French-born Mahrez made Rotherham pay ten minutes later when he burst down the right and cut onto his left foot to fire passed Roos.

The Millers were still much improved in the second half, forcing a number of goalmouth scrambles, but the visitors displayed the extra cutting edge once more on 72 minutes when the ball broke for the experienced Nugent to lash in through a crowd of players.

Ward, the loan signing from Spurs, has shown his finishing ability in pre-season and did so again 11 minutes from time with a nicely measured finish from the edge of the penalty area.

Rotherham’s push for an equaliser fell up short but they were plenty of positives from a good workout.

Millers: Roos, Halford (Wood 86), White (Yates 84), Thorpe, Collins, Maguire (Richardson 46), Green (Frecklington 46), Grant Ward (Warren 90), Ledesma (Smallwood 71), Derbyshire (Clarke-Harris 71), Danny Ward (Bowery 19)

Leicester: Schwarzer, De Laet, Drinkwater, Watson, Schlupp, Simpson, Moore, Ulloa, Mahrez, Lawrence, Nugent

Referee: M. Brown

Attendance: 3,678 (54 visitors)