Rotherham 1 Shrewsbury Town 2 - Report and pictures

Stefan Payne’s 94th minute winner on Paul Hurst’s Rotherham homecoming sent a sure-fire message that Town are the real deal for promotion, writes Lewis Cox at AESSEAL New York Stadium.

Special celebrations in front of an adoring away end at full-time capped the most breathless afternoon in South Yorkshire.

Brave Shrewsbury Town had seemingly held on for a deserved point but then, with legs gone, Payne pounced from a corner to delirious scenes.

Skipper Abu Ogogo had been sent off just minutes into the second-half after Town had gone into the break with a goal lead through Jon Nolan.

Rotherham forced an equaliser 15 minutes from time but, as everyone expected an assault on Dean Henderson’s goal, the visitors would have the final say.

Deep into November, this was surely the message that Shrewsbury are real contenders to battle for the Championship. The fans believed at full-time.

Analysis

The boss returned to Rotherham, the club he served so loyally as a full-back, to a rapturous reception from all stands at the five-year-old stadium.

Hurst played 494 games for the Millers, their second highest appearances maker, and admitted pre-match the game will be a special moment for him and his family.

His time at Millmoor, a stadium still standing just minutes from their current home, included back-to-back promotion and a Football League Trophy success against Shrewsbury at Wembley.

The League One clash was Town’s first in three weeks since the defeat at Peterborough - their first of the season.

Shrewsbury’s only ever visit to the New York Stadium ended in a 2-2 draw, with former favourite Jon Taylor on target for the visitors. Taylor was absent today for the hosts with a knee injury.

The crucial fitness news for the table-topping visitors was that midfielder Jon Nolan was passed fit enough to have overcome a hip injury to start.

Hurst opted to use Joe Riley in his natural right-back position with Omar Beckles selected on the left side of defence.

The introduction of Hurst to the adoring crowd, a classy gesture from the hosts, preceded an immensely poignant silent ahead of kick-off. The visiting supporters were in buoyant spirit.

Town matched the energetic spirit of their following. As Dean Henderson caught a Will Vaulks header, the visitors burst down the other end and went inches wide through Alex Rodman - an electric break.

A change of tactic from Hurst did not take long at all. With the English Football League top scorer in Kieffer Moore a giant in the Millers’ attack at 6ft 5in, Mat Sadler was sent to left-back with Beckles moved centrally.

Thirteen goal top scorer Moore was a clear and obvious target for the home side.

But pressure from elsewhere told 13 minutes in as referee Rob Jones pointed at the spot as the slightest Toto Nsiala interference brought Richie Towell crashing down.

Shrewsbury complaints were ignored as Moore stepped up looking for number 14, but down went Henderson to make a stunning save from 12 yards down to his left. An incredible penalty save celebrated like a goal.

If anything the Millers penalty served to somehow raise the volume in the away end.

Seconds later, down the other end, Shrews knitted a neat move together on the left flank, with Alex Rodman and Sadler involved, and the latter slipped a ball into Nolan inside the United box.

From a tight left angle, the midfielder hammered a weaker foot finish beyond the diving grasp of Richard O’Donnell and into the far corner.

The players bundled in celebration in front of the roaring crowd, Nolan’s fourth of the season was a fine finish.

The individual battle between Nsiala and Moore continued as a flashpoint. The two giants were locked in a real tussle.

The high-octane clash was plenty entertaining but not stacked with chances. Whalley had the next clear-cut effort from the narrowest of right angles, drawing a fine stop from O’Donnell.

Whalley continued to enjoy himself down the right, with Town unable to profit from some enticing positions at times.

Henderson in the Town goal had a couple of high balls to deal with. The Millers’ only other pressure came in first-half added time, but on both occasions the assistant referee had long since raised his offside flag.

The opening to the first-half displayed Town’s ruthless, ravenous, pacy attacking down to a tee.

Henderson superbly claimed a corner, released Payne down the other end. Fine work from the frontman led to him playing in Nolan, bearing down on goal, the midfielder lashed over first time.

It felt like a big moment.

But a bigger one arrived eight minutes into the second period. Skipper Abu Ogogo battled superbly to keep the ball away from Vaulks by the corner flag, before diving into a challenge on Shaun Cummings.

His leading left foot looked high and amid the melee referee Jones brandished a straight red card.

Ogogo was shown a straight red card a year ago tomorrow on another trip to Yorkshire at Sheffield United.

It meant for a big 40 minutes lay ahead.

The red and white shirts of United pumped balls into Town’s box as Shrewsbury reorganised with Nolan and Ben Godfrey as a central midfield two. But the visitors were hardly deterred.

They gave as good as they got with 10 men, still threatening to play football and charge football looking for a killer second. Hurst’s men looked drilled and defiant at the back.

But they finally came unstuck with 14 minutes remaining. After holding off with a man light for 22 minutes, Towell made Town pay, picking up space on the edge of the box and drilling a well-struck strike beyond Henderson’s dive into the corner.

But for their extra man advantage, the Millers could not carve a resilient, organised and well-drilled Shrewsbury Town open. The visitors worked tirelessly and defended resolutely.

United fans were waiting for the moment that broke Shrewsbury hearts.

But into six minutes of added time, brace brave Town kept going, they earned a corner.

After spending a minute deciding who will take the corner, Whalley whipped it in, a bounce and bobble went the visitors’ way and Payne hammered it into the roof of the net to phenomenal scenes.

The celebrations from Hurst and his players in front of the away end meant something. Town mean business.

Key Moments

10 - Alex Rodman’s scuffed efforts drags a couple of inches wide of the post.

12 - Rotherham penalty. A soft one given by Rob Jones for the slightest Toto Nsiala pressure on Richie Towell.

13 - PENALTY SAVE! Stunning from Dean Henderson as he gets down to his left corner to deny Kieffer Moore a 14th of the season.

15 - TOWN GOAL!! How is that for a response? Stunning strike from Jon Nolan, his fourth of the season, across Richard O’Donnell and into the far corner in front of the visiting fans.

29 - The lively Shaun Whalley denied by O’Donnell from the narrowest of right angles.

33 - The visitors somehow survive as an almighty scramble somehow stays out. Henderson got down amid the bunch to help keep it out.

35 - Towell fires over first-time after a tidy pass.

45 - Omar Beckles nods a Whalley corner onto the roof of Rotherham’s net.

45+3 - The hosts have it in the net but the assistant’s offside flag was long since raised.

49 - Nolan should have a second and put it almost beyond the Millers. Henderson sends Stefan Payne away. The striker holds it up before playing in Nolan inside the area but he can only blast over first time.

53 - Red card Town. Abu Ogogo, battling by the corner flag, then goes in with a high foot on Shaun Cummings and Rob Jones brands a straight red.

64 - Millers sub Jonson Clarke-Harris flicks a header wide from a left-sided free-kick.

73 - Ryan Williams sends an angled drive over Henderson’s goal.

76 - Rotherham goal. Joe Newell’s cross from the left is half-cleared from an Nsiala header but Towell is free on the edge of the box to thump a volley into the corner.

87 - Jonson Clarke-Harris lashes hopefully high and wide after cutting in from the left.

90+4 - WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT!!! PAYNE INTO THE ROOF OF THE NET! WOW!! 2-1.

Teams

Rotherham (4-5-1): O’Donnell; Cummings (Clarke-Harrism 60), Ajayi, Wood © (Frecklington, 73), Mattock; Williams (Forde, 82), Towell, Potter, Vaulks, Newell; Moore

Subs not used: Rodak (gk), Emmanuel, Ball, Wiles

Shrewsbury Town (4-1-4-1): Henderson; Riley, Nsiala, Sadler, Beckles; Godfrey; Whalley (John-Lewis, 90+5), Nolan, Ogogo (c), Rodman (C Morris, 77); Payne

Subs not used: MacGillivray (gk), Bolton, Dodds, B Morris, Gnahoua.

Referee: Rob Jones

Attendance: 8,141 (699 Shrewsbury fans)