Stalemate At The Valley

Windy conditions and a bobbly pitch didn't make the Millers first ever game at Don Valley easy for either team.

Chances at both ends were scare and Andy Warrington wasn't called into action until the twentieth minute when Paul Green curled a shot just over the bar before saving again from the same player two minutes later. The home team had a couple of early chances, the best falling to new signing, Alex Rhodes, who, when on a one to one with Derby 'keeper, Lewis Price, seem to stumble and Price gathered the ball at his feet. At the other end, ex Ram, Pablo Mills, stood firm in defence with Dale Tonge clearing a rare Derby shot for a corner. The half time whistle came and I think the fans were just glad they could get into the back of the stadium away from the cold swirling wind!

Derby manager, Paul Jewell, changed his strikers at half time, putting on Dickinson and Sterjovski for Ellington and Villa and the Millers took off Coughlan for Sharps and Cummins for Harrison. But, the second half was a poor contest and I can't remember any of the 'keepers having to do much. Possible new signing, Stephen Connor came on for Jamie Yates and Millers manager, Mark Robins changed seven players in the sixty second minute, including bringing ex Ram Steven Cann on in goal followed by Derby swapping two players a few minutes later but apart from one of the Millers substitutes, probably a young lad called, Reid, (but to be honest I had lost count of who was on and off), getting the better of veteran Robbie Savage, a 0-0 was probably the correct outcome.

There were a lot of fans that had travelled the forty-five minutes or so from Derby and quite a few Millers fans but the atmosphere was, to be honest, like the game, a bit dull. Here's hoping for better things in the Millers new home.

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