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Rotherham promoted to Championship after penalty win over Leyton Orient
Rotherham promoted to Championship after penalty win over Leyton Orient
(about 2 hours later)
For the first time Rotherham United fans can say the New York Stadium is a Championship venue, a fact so good they may like to say it twice. The club that only six years ago were resurrected and given a smart new home after years of struggle have recorded back-to-back promotions to return to the second tier of English football. Fittingly, even in this final they had to fight back, coming from two goals down to prevail in a penalty shoot-out.
For the first time Rotherham United fans can say the New York Stadium is a Championship venue, a fact so good they may like to say it twice. The club that only six years ago were resurrected by the lighting tycoon Tony Stewart and given a bright new home after years of bleak struggle have recorded back-to-back promotions to return to the second tier of English football. Fittingly, even in this final they had to fight back, coming from two goals down to prevail in a penalty shoot-out.
Leyton Orient have been waiting 32 years to get back to the second tier and, despite leading League One for much of this season, they must wait at least one more year. Their manager, Russell Slade, has excelled on paltry resources to get his team so far but is left with the bitter taste of another play-off defeat, the third in his career after similar ordeals at Grimsby Town and Yeovil Town.
Leyton Orient have been waiting 32 years to get back to the second tier and, despite leading League One for much of this season, must wait at least one more. Their manager, Russell Slade, had excelled on paltry resources to lift his team so far, but was left with the bitter taste of another play-off defeat, the third in his career after similar ordeals at Grimsby and Yeovil.
Orient were on course to settle the matter early thanks to first-half goals by Moses Odubajo and Dean Cox but Rotherham fought back with a pair of strikes from Alex Revell early in the second period and there followed an hour of intense exchanges before the fateful shoot-out. Even in that, Orient took the lead after Jones parried Lee Frecklington’s tame spot-kick. However, Adam Collin then saved from Mathieu Baudry and Chris Dagnall to give victory to the Yorkshire men.
Just like the season, it all started promisingly for Orient. They went in front thanks to first-half goals from each of their dextrous wingers, Moses Odubajo and Dean Cox, but Rotherham replied with a pair of strikes from Alex Revell early in the second period and there followed an hour of intense exchanges before the showdown from 12 yards. Even in that contest, Orient took the lead after Jamie Jones parried Lee Frecklington’s tame effort, but Adam Collin then saved from Mathieu Baudry and Chris Dagnall to send Rotherham into raptures.
The teams had been separable only by goal difference in the regular season table and they were well-matched foes here too, although for the first half their approaches diverged. Both, however, were devoted to attack, as was to be expected from the two top-scoring teams in League One after the run-away champions, Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Despite the disparity in budgets the teams had been separable only by goal difference in the regular season, so it was perhaps inevitable that they would prove well-matched foes in the final. Both had averaged nearly two goals per game throughout the term and they did not dilute their attacking intent at Wembley.
Rotherham looked the more dangerous early on with a strategy that had no pretensions towards elegance but was certainly bothersome. Their defenders and midfielders behaved like medieval catapults, launching missiles into the box from great distance. Revell, Rotherham’s hulking centre-forward, was dominating the air and nodding the ball down to team-mates as Orient struggled to cope. It was, however, Craig Morgan who created the first clear opportunity for the south Yorkshire side, as he stomped up from the back to nod a long freekick into the path of Wes Thomas, whose shot from close range was blocked by Jamie Jones.
Rotherham looked the more dangerous early on, with a strategy that had no pretensions towards elegance but was certainly bothersome. Their defenders and midfielders behaved like medieval artillery men, catapulting missiles into the box from great distance. Revell, Rotherham’s hulking centre-forward, was dominating in the air and nodding the ball down to team-mates as Orient struggled to cope. It was, however, a knock-down by Craig Morgan that forced Jamie Jones to make a close-range save from Wes Thomas in the ninth minute. Orient’s intentions were more intricate, but fluency eluded them and, for all their noble plans, they often finished moves with hopeful lofted passes into the area. Rotherham’s defenders were lapping it up.
James Tavernier then bashed another long freekick into the box and Revell headed it across goal, but no Rotherham player was able to connect with it. Tavernier, a right-back on loan from Newcastle, is capable of much more than hoisting the ball into the box and darting runs from deep were Rotherham’s one deviation from the route one game in the first-half. He almost concluded one run with a fabulous finish, only for his 25-yard shot to fizz wide.
It was a surprise, then, when Orient profited from the approach that Rotherham had prioritised. In the 34th minute a long free-kick from Cox was nodded to the edge of the area, from where Odubajo unleashed a thunderous shot into the net. It flew within inches of Collin’s raised hand but the goalkeeper seemed bemused by its trajectory.
Orient’s intentions were more intricate but they struggled to find fluency and, for all their fine plans, often finished moves with hopeful lofted passes into the area. Rotherham’s defenders were lapping it up.
Four minutes later Orient inflicted further damage. Again it came from the sort of rudimentary plan Rotherham had been following without success. Jones whacked the ball downfield and Kari Arnason inadvertently headed it backwards to David Mooney, whose attempted pass to Cox was headed away by James Tavernier – but only to Odubajo, who fed the ball back across the face of goal for Cox to tap into the net.
It was a surprise, then, when Orient started to profit from the approach that Rotherham had prioritised. In the 28th minute Odubajo outjumped a bigger rival to flick a long kick-out on to Cox, who helped it on to David Mooney, whose flashed a shot into the side-netting. Rather than a momentary aberration, that set the patten for what was to follow, as six minutes later another long ball into the Rotherham box led to Orient’s opening goal. Cox’s freekick was cleared only to the edge of the area, from where Odubajo unleashed a thunderous shot into the roof of the net. It flew within inches of Adam Collin’s raised hand but the goalkeeper seemed bemused by its trajectory.
Rotherham were reeling. If their manager, Steve Evans, was to lead a team to a fourth successive promotion, he would need to find words to put wind in the Millers’ sails. “I just spoke to them about what it meant to them, to their families, their children, their mums and dads – about how they would feel looking back on this day when they are grandads,” said Evans.
Four minutes later Orient inflicted further damage. Again it came from the sort of rudimentary plan that Rotherham had been following without success. Jones whacked the ball downfield and Kari Arnason inadvertently headed it backwards to Mooney, whose attempted pass to Cox was headed away by Tavernier – but only to Odubajo, who fed the ball back across the face of goal for Cox to tap gleefully into the net.
Rotherham re-emerged with great determination. Predictably, their break-through came from a set-piece. In the 54th minute Tavernier flighted a free-kick into the penalty area and Jones tried to punch it to safety, but it rebounded off Baudry to Revell, who poked it in from six yards.
Rotherham were reeling. Ben Pringle produced their first flash of class in first-half stoppage time, when he sent a wonderful half-volley just over the bar from 30 yards.
Revell, a former Orient striker, struck again five minutes later, this time with a marvel. After controlling a breaking ball on his thigh, he sent a dipping shot over the back-peddling Jones from 30 yards. Such a goal and comeback merited an extraordinary celebration, and Evans duly bounded down the sideline in jubilation before running out of breath.
Orient had topped League One for virtually all of the first half of the season, only to finish third, so they were well aware of the precariousness of leads. Rotherham soon served another reminder, nonetheless. Steve Evans’ side attacked with renewed vigour form the start of the second half and panic began to infest the Orient defence.
Now Rotherham were buoyant, and with new-found confidence came a more varied approach. They bobbed and weaved with skill as both teams sought to land a decisive blow. It was gripping fare that had 43,000 supporters rapt. Only one set would leave smiling, however, and Collin’s saves ensured it was those from Rotherham.
Predictably, Rotherham’s break-through came from a set-piece. Tavernier flighted a freekick into the penalty area and Jones hurled himself into a crowd of bodies before the ball emerged in front of Revell, who poked it into net from six yards. The former Orient striker struck again five minutes later, this time with a bone fide marvel. After controlling a breaking ball on his thigh, he sent an exquisite dipping shot over the back-peddling Jones from 30 yards and into the net. Such a goal and comeback merited an extraordinary celebration, and Evans duly charged down the sideline in jubilation before running out of breath.
Now Rotherham were buoyant, and with new-found confidence came a more varied approach. They bobbed and weaved with skill as both teams sought to land a decisive blow. Orient were invigorated by substitutes, especially Shaun Batt, but as the game got increasingly stretched, Rotherham created the clearest chance, only for Kieran Agard to slash high and wide from 20 yards.
Scott Cuthbert nearly headed into his own net when under pressure early in extra-time but Jones saved him with a splendid reflex stop. Orient hurtled down the other end and forced an urgent intervention from Collin. It was helter-skelter fare that had 47,000 supporters rapt. Only set could leave satisfied, however and it would take a spot-kick showdown to decide which one. Collin, who once saved three in a shootout against Farsley Athletic to give Workington promotion to the Conference North, emerged the hero.
