A mild overcast South Yorkshire afternoon greeted the bumper 10337 crowd as the teams entered the arena.
The inconsistent Millers made several changes as manager Paul Warne abandoned his 4-3-3 formation in favour of an experimental 4-2-3-1 with the recalled Michael Smith reprising last season’s lone frontman role.
1 Iversen
22 Olasunde 6 Wood (c) 20 Ihiekwe 3 Mattock
11 Barlaser 16 Lindsay
17 Crooks 8 Wiles 23 Hastie
24 Smith
Manager Mark Robins sent out the following side in what looked to me like a 4-3-3 formation & his unbeaten side lined up as follows;
1 Marosi
23 Dabo 5 McFazdean 15 Hyam 3 Mason
20 Walsh 17 O’Hare 26 Shipley
33 Kastineer 11 Hywula 24 Godden
The match started slowly with both teams a little tentative in possession with plenty of misplaced passes. The hosts had the first effort of any note on seven minutes when Hastie’s left-wing cross was headed well over the top. In the Millers next foray forward Hastie almost took advantage of the Sky Blues defensive hesitancy but the ball was rather luckily hacked clear. The Millers seemed to sense the nervousness in Coventry’s defensive play & deservedly went in front on thirteen minutes, striker Smith chased down the ball on the right side & delivered a peach of a cross for midfielder Matt Crooks to plant a powerful header past Marosi to give his side the lead.
It was 2-0 just five minutes later when keeper Marosi who wasn’t having the best of days brought down Smith in the area following a horrendous back pass by McFazdean. Smith got up to fire in a perfect penalty to double his side’s lead. The quick two-goal blast clearly shook the previously unbeaten Sky Blues & it was almost three on 22 minutes when Hastie’s goalbound shot was parried by Marosi with Crooks shot from the rebound blocked. Little was seen of Coventry as an attacking force despite them having plenty of possession but loanee midfielder O’Hare had a good effort on the half-hour but his effort was deflected off the hosts CB Ihiekwe for a corner. As the half was coming to an end it was again the Millers who looked the most likely to score again when Smith headed a Joe Mattock cross just wide.
HT Millers 2 Sky Blues 0
Mark Robins had obviously given his Sky Blues a piece of his mind at half time as they were immediately on the offensive at the start of the second period with Matt Godden having a fierce effort well saved by previously unemployed Millers keeper Iversen following a neat one-two with O’Hare. A spell of possession followed but the Midlanders were struggling to penetrate the Millers well-drilled defence. Just as Coventry were beginning to probe & try & find a way back into the game yet another defensive calamity was to befall them on fifty-seven minutes, McFazdean dawdled on the edge of the box & lost possession to Crooks who was unceremoniously dumped on the ground by the Coventry defender to concede the second penalty of the afternoon & also the almost inevitable Red card.
Smith despatched the spot-kick confidently for 3-0. After Cov went down to ten men forward Godden had a clear goalscoring opportunity but hit his shot well wide but back came the hosts & young midfielder Ben Wiles was within a whisker of one of the goals of the season when he beat three defenders on a mazy run only for Marosi to save his effort from the edge of the box. The game was well & truly “put to bed” on seventy-five minutes with yet another defensive howler.
Dom Hyam’s terrible backpass was seized upon by Crooks who had the simple task of toe poking the ball past Marosi for his side’s fourth goal.
Coventry sub Bakayoko hit a shot wide as did O’Hare as the dispirited visitors tried to counter but as the fourth official put up an amazing ELEVEN MINUTES ADDED TIME, caused by Coventry fans throwing flares on the pitch after the Millers third & fourth goals, it was the hosts who nearly grabbed a fifth when the overworked Marosi saved well from sub Ladapo.
FT Millers 4 Sky Blues 0
A thoroughly deserved & morale-boosting victory for the inconsistent Millers who produced easily their best & most convincing performance of the season. The change of formation obviously worked but can Warne take this as his way of playing? especially with the players at his disposal with several of his senior pros (Robertson & Ladapo to name but two) missing out.
Sky Blues fans will hope their favourites have used all their defensive howlers for the season in this one game & should treat this game as a painful blip & it shouldn’t spoil a fine start to the season for Mark Robins & his talented side.
words Ian Bradley, D3D4 Rotherham United correspondent