Agard puts Millers on brink of promotion

ROTHERHAM United took a giant stride towards automatic promotion with a 1-0 win at Plymouth Argyle this afternoon.

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 Kieran Agard struck his third goal in as many games to settle the contest 15 minutes from time and leave the Millers effectively needing a point from their final match against Aldershot Town at the New York Stadium next week to secure a top-three finish.

 With Plymouth going into the game needing a draw to be sure of safety, it was a tense affair.

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 Lee Frecklington should have put Rotherham ahead at the end of a dour first half but, unmarked at the far post, allowed Jake Cole to make a save.

 Alex Revell stabbed wide from six yards soon after the restart while former Miller Reuben Reid went close with a stooping header and blazed over from ten yards.

 But with the clock ticking down, the Millers struck the decisive blow when Johnny Mullins headed down a free-kick from Joe Skarz and Agard stole in to turn the ball home in front of the 850 delirious travelling fans.

 Steve Evans’ men survived a goalmouth scramble and a big penalty appeal in four minutes of injury time to notch their fourth straight victory at this vital stage of the campaign.

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They end the day two points ahead of fourth-placed Cheltenham, who won at Exeter but have an inferior goals difference.

 Plymouth: Cole, Blanchard, Bhasera, Branston, Wotton, Cowan-Hall (Murray 51), Hourihane (capt), Nelson (Chadwick 78), Bryan, Gurrieri, Reid (Harvey 80)

Millers: Shearer, Mullins (capt), Skarz, Morgan, Davis, Agard, Arnason, O’Connor, Pringle, Frecklington (Ridehalgh 87), Revell (Odejayi 90)

Referee: David Coote (Notts)

Attendance: 10,648 (850 away)