Redfearn is off the mark

NEIL Redfearn collected his first  point as Rotherham United boss from a creditable draw against high-flying Reading at the AESSEAL New York Stadium.

Outplayed in the first half and trailing to a goal from in-form Nick Blackman, the Millers hit back to draw 1-1 through Danny Collins.

Reading zipped the ball around and pressed for much of the first period and their only scares came when Matt Derbyshire's shot on the turn produced a full-length save from Ali Al-Habsi and Jonson Clarke-Harris slid a shot a yard wide.

Rotherham were pressing when the visitors took the lead on 26 minutes with a fine strike from Blackman. Oliver Norwood picked him out with a long ball upfield and the forward  lashed in from the edge of the area for his tenth goal in ten games. Lee Camp also had to be sharp to prevent Lucas Piazon adding a second from close range.

The match sparked into life three minutes after half time when Reading dropped their guard for the first time. Tony Andreu's corner flashed across the area and an unmarked Collins rifled in.

The Royals  finally looked rattled and Clarke-Harris should have capitalised on a one-on-one while a goalmouth scramble ended with Farrend Rawson's shot being scrambled off the line.

An entertaining match could have either way in an end-to-end finale, with Camp making sure of a point with a smart late stop from substitute Matej Vydra.

Millers: Camp, Buxton, Toffolo, Rawson, Collins, Grant Ward, Thorpe, Green, Andreu (Maguire 85), Derbyshire (Bowery 80), Clarke-Harris

Reading: Al Habsi, Gunter, Taylor, McShane, Norwood, Hector, Sa, McCleary (Vydra 62), Piazon (Hurtado 62), Blackman, Williams

Referee: Jeremy Simpson