Match preview: Millers v Owls

28 October 2020

Wednesday will be looking to bounce back from successive defeats at Hillsborough as we travel to neighbours Rotherham in the Championship this evening.

The Owls have been strong on the road this season with two wins from three away from home - with those three points coming from trips to Cardiff and, more recently, Birmingham.

Meanwhile, the Millers have racked up six points from their opening seven games back at this level.

Tonight’s hosts are yet to win at home this season (one draw, two defeats). Their one win of the season so far came away at Wycombe on the opening day of the Championship campaign.

Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game;

MATCH DETAILS

- Date: Wednesday 28 October
- Kick-off, 7.45pm
- Championship
- AESSEAL New York Stadium

OFFICIALS

Referee - Jarred Gillett
Assistant Referee 1 - Paul Hodskinson
Assistant Referee 2 - Philip Dermott
Fourth Official - Michael George

WATCH LIVE

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TEAM NEWS

SWFC: Joost van Aken is suspended for three games after his red card against Luton on Saturday.

Tom Lees, Dominic Iorfa and Izzy Brown are back in contention after returning to full training.

The trio will be assessed ahead of the game.

Massimo Luongo (knee) is unlikely to be available.

Rotherham: The Millers were well beaten against league leaders Reading last time out but a positive from the game was no fresh injury worries.

Goalkeeper Jamal Blackman is expected to be fit to face the Owls having overcome soreness following the Reading reverse.

Injured quartet Kyle Vassell, Trevor Clarke, Adam Thompson and Mickel Miller are all back in training and available for selection.

Owls boss on Rotherham: “I know Paul very well, he’s a great guy. But we’ve got our cause, and we’ve got to make sure that our cause is stronger than theirs and everyone else’s this season.

“They want to fight to stay in this league, push on from there and establish themselves as a Championship team - so they’re going to have that fight, we have to match that and come out on top.”

Millers manager Paul Warne said: “I think they’ve done well. They needed to start well, and they have, they play a number of different systems and have made some really good signings.

"They’ve got some good players like they always have and some real experience in the Championship, their away form has been really good and it's been their strength in the season so far.”

LAST MEETING – 28 August 2019 | Rotherham 0-1 Owls

LAST FIVE V ROTHERHAM

Rotherham 0-1 Owls - 28 August 2019 – Carabao Cup
Rotherham 2-2 Owls - 16 February 2019 - Championship
Owls 2-2 Rotherham - 8 December 2018 – Championship
Rotherham 0-2 Owls - 4 April 2017 – Championship
Owls 1-0 Rotherham - 17 December 2016 - Championship

Match Reports

Report: Rotherham 3-0 Wednesday

28 October 2020

A disastrous first half laid foundations for 10-man Wednesday to suffer a 3-0 defeat at Rotherham.

The Millers took complete control as Jamie Lindsay scored either side of a Dan Barlaser penalty, the award of which led to the returning Tom Lees sent off.

That pretty much encapsulated a miserable opening period that saw the Owls reduced to 10 for the second successive game.

But the bigger picture was a derby contest all but over at the break and although Wednesday were better in the second half, the earlier damage was conclusive.

The most unlikely of starts unfolded at the New York Stadium, with the game bizarrely suspended for 12 minutes, followed by a goal 40 seconds after the resumption.

The referee led the teams off the pitch just four minutes in with reports of a drone in the night sky. Confusion reigned but no sooner had play resumed, Wednesday were 1-0 down.

A deflected shot from Freddie Ladapo looped in the direction of the advancing Lindsay, whose hanging header dropped into the net right beneath the crossbar.

The Owls responded with a wave of attacks and carved shots from Kadeem Harris, Barry Bannan and Joey Pelupessy.

But they suffered another blow when Aden Flint was forced out of the action with what appeared a hamstring strain.

Wednesday pressed and Jamal Blackman dived low to keep out a Jack Marriott effort but on 34 minutes, Lees was dismissed and the Owls were 2-0 down.

Ladapo nodded a high ball round the outrushing Dawson and tangled with Lees in front of an empty net - the referee had no doubt on either front and pointed to the spot before issuing the red card.

Barlaser did the honours from 12 yards and Wednesday had a mountain to climb that was promptly made almost insurmountable three minutes before half time.

Ex-Owl Joe Mattock unleashed a fierce drive from distance and Dawson’s parry fell invitingly for Lindsay to slam home his second goal.

The danger was the second half becoming academic such were the numbers, both in goals and players on the pitch.

The contest was certainly more even although action of note dramatically declined. The extra man gave Rotherham that added zest to see out the game, while Wednesday had to show an improvement from the first 45.

This they did overall but despite the increased possession, it was Rotherham who went the closest to netting as Dawson’s instinctive save kept out substitute Michael Smith at the back post.

That was the last act of note on an evening to forget for the Owls across South Yorkshire and attention now turns to a huge game at Wycombe on Saturday.

Wednesday: Dawson, Odubajo, Flint (Palmer 17), Lees (S/O 42), Börner, Harris, Bannan, Pelupessy, Dele-Bashiru, Paterson (Windass 57), Marriott (Reach 70)

Match Reports

Sheffield Wednesday

Standings

Match preview: Millers v Owls

Report: Rotherham 3-0 Wednesday

Standings

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