Millers stay in drop zone with Luton draw

Published on: 04 May 2021

Elijah Adebayo hit the crossbar for Luton in the first half

Rotherham United's Championship survival hopes are out of their hands going into the final match of the season after they could only draw their game in hand at mid-table Luton Town.

The Millers started the day three points behind fourth-bottom Derby but knew victory in their last two matches would probably see them avoid relegation because of their superior goal difference.

In a frantic first half Elijah Adebayo thumped against the woodwork and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's corner came off the post for Luton, while Rotherham also hit the post through Matt Crooks' deft lob.

The visitors came closest to a winner after the break when Crooks headed Ryan Giles' fine cross agonisingly wide at the back post.

Paul Warne's Rotherham - who have played 11 Championship games in 33 days and won just one of them - will need to win at Cardiff on Saturday and hope Derby fail to beat relegation rivals Sheffield Wednesday if they are to stay up.

    Relive Rotherham's tense draw at Luton

Wayne Rooney's Rams will be safe with victory over second-bottom Wednesday, who must win at Pride Park and hope Rotherham do not triumph against Cardiff if they are to avoid going down to League One.

The point for Luton guarantees them a top-half finish and extends their unbeaten run to six matches as they continue their impressive finish to the season.

Adebayo almost beat visiting keeper Jamal Blackman from a difficult angle but his effort crashed off the bar and Dewsbury-Hall's corner would have gone straight in if it wasn't for Blackman clawing the ball against the post and out.

Rotherham need to beat Cardiff on Saturday and hope Derby do not win to stay up

Rotherham also carried threat, Michael Smith putting a free header wide while Crooks watched his dink over Simon Sluga bounce and come back off the post.

The second half was a lower key affair but Crooks may rue his missed header while Luton's Sonny Bradley had a stoppage time goal from a corner disallowed for a foul.

    Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text

Line-upsLuton

Formation 3-5-2

12Sluga6Pearson5Bradley24Naismith26Bree4Tunnicliffe16Rea22Dewsbury-Hall3Potts29Adebayo19Collins

    12Sluga6Pearson5Bradley24Naismith26Bree4TunnicliffeSubstituted forLuaLuaat 76'minutes16Rea22Dewsbury-Hall3PottsSubstituted forCornickat 45'minutes29Adebayo19CollinsSubstituted forMpanzuat 62'minutes

Substitutes

    1Shea2Cranie7Cornick14Moncur17Mpanzu25LuaLua27Nombe28Morrell30Pereira

Rotherham

Formation 3-4-2-1

27Blackman20Ihiekwe6Wood19Harding22Olosunde5Wing26Barlaser30Giles25Crooks8Wiles24Smith

    27Blackman20Ihiekwe6Wood19Harding22OlosundeSubstituted forOgbeneat 65'minutes5Wing26BarlaserSubstituted forMattockat 74'minutes30Giles25Crooks8Wiles24SmithBooked at 43minsSubstituted forLadapoat 65'minutes

Substitutes

    1Johansson3Mattock4MacDonald10Ladapo11Ogbene16Lindsay17Sadlier21MacDonald28Jozefzoon

Referee:Dean WhitestoneMatch StatsHome TeamLutonAway TeamRotherhamPossessionHome56%Away44%ShotsHome13Away9Shots on TargetHome3Away2CornersHome6Away7FoulsHome11Away8Live TextPost update

Match ends, Luton Town 0, Rotherham United 0.

90'+5'Full Time

Second Half ends, Luton Town 0, Rotherham United 0.

90'+3'Post update

Foul by Elijah Adebayo (Luton Town).

90'+3'Post update

Jamal Blackman (Rotherham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

90'+2'Post update

Corner, Luton Town. Conceded by Jamal Blackman.

90'Post update

Foul by Elijah Adebayo (Luton Town).

90'Post update

Richard Wood (Rotherham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

88'Post update

Offside, Rotherham United. Ryan Giles tries a through ball, but Freddie Ladapo is caught offside.

86'Post update

Attempt missed. Elijah Adebayo (Luton Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by James Bree following a fast break.

86'Post update

Attempt blocked. Michael Ihiekwe (Rotherham United) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lewis Wing with a cross.

85'Post update

Corner, Rotherham United. Conceded by Simon Sluga.

85'Post update

Attempt saved. Lewis Wing (Rotherham United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

84'Post update

Foul by Matty Pearson (Luton Town).

84'Post update

Freddie Ladapo (Rotherham United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

84'Post update

Foul by Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Luton Town).

84'Post update

Chiedozie Ogbene (Rotherham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

82'Post update

Corner, Rotherham United. Conceded by James Bree.

81'Post update

Foul by Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Luton Town).

81'Post update

Ben Wiles (Rotherham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

80'Post update

Attempt missed. Kal Naismith (Luton Town) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

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Source: bbc.com

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