Report: Rotherham United XI 2-2 Iron XI

An Iron XI drew 2-2 away at Rotherham United in a behind closed doors friendly on Tuesday afternoon.

Jordan Hallam initially opened the scoring early in the first half, before the Millers’ hit back before the interval. However, George Hornshaw slammed in an equaliser in the second period to level the scoreline. 

It was an entertaining start to the game, with both sides creating chances within the opening five minutes. 

Olufela Olomola had the first opportunity straight after kick-off, as he latched onto an over the top through ball from George Hornshaw, and drove through towards goal, but the Rotherham goalkeeper was alert to the danger and gathered possession back. 

Shortly after, the Millers’ strode forward in their first attack, but excellent work rate from Kevin van Veen, saw the striker close his marker down quickly on the edge of the area to block the shot away, before the second effort then cleared the crossbar comfortably. 

Moments later, the post came to the Iron’s rescue, as a long-range shot was fizzed in from distance following a Rotherham corner, after Jon Flatt initially saved a deflected cross. 

Then, with ten minutes on the clock, the Iron were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box, after Olomola was hacked down following a good piece of play to beat his man. Tom Pearce stepped up to take it, but his effort flew over the bar. 

The Iron were then forced into their first change of the afternoon, when an unfortunate clash of heads, saw new signing Jacob Bedeau leave the field to be patched up, so Jack Harrison came on to replace him. 

With a quarter of an hour played, the Iron struck the opening goal, as Jordan Hallam steered in a rebound from 12-yards, after van Veen’s initial shot was parried into his path, and the attacker made no mistake, slotting the ball into the unguarded net. 

However, Rotherham restored parity almost straight away, when a ball was played into the centre and found a free attacker in space, who neatly slipped it past Flatt to make it 1-1. 

Following the equaliser, Bedeau was allowed to re-join the game after his injury earlier on, and he and Harrison swapped places once again. 

The defender came straight back into the action and wasted no time getting back into the swing of things, as he produced a couple of decent blocks to prevent the hosts’ from scoring again. 

Although, on the 30-minute mark, the Millers’ turned the game around, and took the lead for the first time. A ball was whipped in low from the left flank, and a runner charged into the area, to slide in at the far post and direct the cross into the back of the net. 

As the match ticked towards half-time, the Iron had one more attack before the referee blew his whistle for the break. 

Good interplay between Trialist A and Yasin Ben El-Mhanni presented Hallam with some space out wide. He delivered the ball towards van Veen, but the Dutchman couldn’t direct his header on target, meaning the scoreline remained 2-1 at the interval. 

Then, as the teams emerged for the start of the second half, it was the Iron who carried on in the same vein, as van Veen had another effort just wide of the goal, before Olomola fired in a shot from 20-yards which went over.  

The Iron were then rewarded with their efforts, as Hornshaw struck the leveller to make it 2-2 after 58 minutes. The midfielder found space 25-yards out, lined up a shot, and unleashed an effort which flew past the goalkeeper, despite his best attempt to keep it out.  

After scoring, Scunthorpe pressed forward in search of the lead once again. Clayton Lewis gathered possession in the centre of the park, before laying it off to Hallam, who this time, narrowly shot over the bar. 

However, just seconds later, in the next attack, Rotherham surged up the pitch, and forced Flatt into another smart save in his right corner. A low drive from the edge of the penalty area was rifled in, the goalkeeper kept it out, and Lewis Butroid then cleared the danger.  

Van Veen then had another opportunity for the Iron when he was taken down for a free-kick on the edge of the box. Following the foul, he got up to take the set-piece, but drove his effort over the crossbar. 

Neither side could find a winner with ten minutes to play, with the scoreline finishing 2-2 in a worthwhile encounter for the Iron against a strong Rotherham XI side. 

IRON: Flatt (Kelsey, 77), van Veen (Pugh, 87), Lewis (L. Gallimore, 87), Pearce (Barks, 69), Ben El-Mhanni, Olomola (Okafor, 69), Hornshaw, Hallam, Bedeau (Harrison, 12 (Bedeau, 18, (Harrison, 69))), Butroid, Trialist A.