Best strike gives Millers vital win

Neil Warnock made four changes from the side that started against Derby last Saturday with double goal hero Best coming in for Danny Ward up front.

And his decision paid off as Best tapped home the only goal of the game a minute before half time following good work by Matt Derbyshire down the right flank.

Defences were on top in the opening period and half chances for Ipswich’s Freddie Sears followed by Richie Smallwood were the best either side could muster.

The Millers broke the deadlock in the 44th minute when Derbyshire – in full stride down the right wing- squared to an unmarked Best who tapped home from six yards.

The home side started the second half with a venom that had been missing in the first 45 minutes, with pacey sub Liam Feeney making his debut and the difference for Ipswich.

There were a few scares early on for Rotherham, Stephen Kelly had to hoist a Sears effort off the line and numerous corners rained down on Lee Camp’s goal.

But the Millers weathered the storm and although they created very few second half chances themselves, they dug deep to limit Ipswich to minimal clear cut opportunities.

Grant Ward had the last chance of the game when Halford played him in with a neat pass from the byline, but the Tottenham loanee swung a left boot at it and the ball swerved wide.

Halford epitomised Rotherham’s desire not to concede in the four minutes of stoppage time when he chased down Feeney, seemingly in on goal, to put the ball out for a corner.

Warnock’s side held on to grab all three points and go into the international break out of the bottom three after claiming 13 points from the last 15 available.

Ipswich Town: Bartosz Bialkowski; Luke Chambers, Tommy Smith, Christoph Berra, Jonas Knudsen; Cole Skuse, Jonathan Douglas (Liam Feeney 46), Luke Hyam (Kevin Bru 74), Brett Pitman (Ben Pringle 70); Daryl Murphy, Freddie Sears.

Subs not used: Michael Crowe, Paul Digby, Kevin Foley, Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

Millers: Lee Camp; Stephen Kelly, Kirk Broadfoot, Lloyd Doyley, Joe Mattock; Greg Halford; Grant Ward, Richie Smallwood, Lee Frecklington, Matt Derbyshire (Joe Newell 78); Leon Best (Jonson Clarke-Harris 84).

Subs not used: Paddy Kenny, Richard Wood, Danny Ward, Paul Green, Chris Burke.

Referee: Stephen Martin (Staffordshire)

Attendance: 20,318 (344 away fans)

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