Shrewsbury Town 1 Rotherham 2 - Report and pictures

Forward Smith climbed to head seven minutes into a minimum of five added on to hand the Millers all three points after Sam Ricketts’ side failed to clear a corner.

Defender Aaron Pierre had looked like earning Town a point, netting the hosts’ first effort on goal midway through the second half, just six minutes after Joe Mattock opened the scoring for Rotherham.

Ricketts’ men looked set for taking seven points from nine in tough clashes against Coventry, Blackpool and the Millers but this time the late Montgomery Waters Meadow drama went against Shrewsbury.

A drab contest came to life after the break and at one stage Town looked the more likely winners.

Ryan Giles and Omar Beckles had decent late chances but Smith, who was introduced in the 85th minute, headed brilliantly into the top corner from Adam Thompson’s cross to leave home fans despairing.

Most were expecting captain Ollie Norburn to return from suspension and take his place in Ricketts’ line-up against the Millers but missed out for the second match running, this time owing to illness.

It meant the Town boss called on the same XI that so impressed in a professional performance at Blackpool.

Brad Walker, who particularly caught the eye on just his second league start, was rewarded with another.

After clawing back the gap to those above them, Town knew that a third win on the spin could see them eat up a number of places in the League One standings.

Rotherham were without a win in four league games after a number of absentees in recent weeks but still boasted the second best away record in the division.

But the Millers were boosted by the return of captain Michael Ihiekwe to defence and Jamie Lindsay to the bench.

Familiar faces Carlton Morris and Freddie Ladapo led the line against the club they both had loan spells at. Neither could find any way through Shrewsbury at the New York Stadium in the reverse draw in September.

But the Millers had already tasted victory at the Meadow this season, with a 4-0 Carabao Cup success in August.

Town were at home on Boxing Day for the first time since 2015 but it was the away end making the early noise as their players responded, dominating the ball for much of the first 10 minutes.

Rotherham were a powerful side and Ihiekwe’s header from a corner worked a chance for Morris, who spun some four yards out before his strike thumped the post and was kept out brilliantly by Max O’Leary.

There was a sleepy atmosphere inside the Meadow, with the Millers seeing more of the ball. Dave Edwards and Shaun Whalley were playing key roles in Ricketts’ system, just behind Blackpool hero Fejiri Okenabirhie, but neither had much joy early on.

Rotherham, by contract, kept coming, but struggled to create much for their dominance on the ball. Pierre and Co. stood firm as the visitors pushed for an advantage.

Town were sloppy inside half hour with passes struggling to find blue and amber team-mates.

But, with away fans sending taunts about the Wembley play-off final of 2018, Shrewsbury improved towards the end of the first period, as midfielder Walker sparked his side into life with some inventive passes.

Town finished the half the stronger but Norwich loanee Morris remained a threat. Two headers from set-pieces providing O’Leary with something to think about.

Rotherham followed up a drab first period by forcing an early corner in front of their raucous supporters after the break. And, with Donald Love unable to clear, big midfielder Matt Crooks sends a tame side-footer straight at O’Leary.

Paul Warne’s men were in the mood, Ladapo just unable to finish an open goal under good pressure from Ethan Ebanks-Landell.

The Millers screamed for a penalty as Pierre cleared in close quarters to Ladapo before Morris again headed at O’Leary.

Rotherham’s pressure told and the away end erupted as left-back Mattock converted a close-range header after Ihiekwe had initially nodded a corner back across goal exactly on the hour.

Town, who were without a shot at the time of falling behind, needed to find a response.

They found just that no longer than six minutes after falling behind. A Whalley free-kick, from a deep central position, picked out Scott Golbourne on the left side of the box and his precision delivery just missed Ebanks-Landell but was perfect for Pierre and arrowed into the top corner.

The Meadow found its voice and Ricketts rolled the dice by sending on Daniel Udoh for Okenabirhie, who had little to feed off.

Rotherham gathered themselves after conceding the equaliser and continued to probe Town’s backline, mainly down their left flank.

An O’Leary punch launched Shrews’ next meaningful foray into the Millers’ half. Sub Udoh carried the ball excellently before Edwards flicked a Love cross wide as the offside flag was raised.

Udoh and fellow sub Ryan Giles were thorns in the visitors’ side late on. The former took advantage of a slip to send speedy Giles away and his good strike was well turned round the post by Daniel Iversen.

The resulting corner was helped on in the air by Walker to defender Beckles, all alone at the far post, but Beckles could only thump a difficult first-time volley well over.

Fans let out a sigh of relief as Ladapo turned it the wrong side of the post before a number of Salop bodies could not deal with the late corner and Thompson recycled the ball for Smith to thump into the top corner with his forehead, agonizingly beyond O’Leary’s fingertips.

Shrewsbury Town (3-4-3):

O’Leary; Ebanks-Landell, Pierre, Beckles; Love (Williams, 86), Laurent, Walker, Golbourne; Whalley, Edwards (Giles, 78), Okenabirhie (Udoh, 68).

Subs not used: Murphy (gk), Goss, Fane, Cummings.

Rotherham United (4-4-2):

Iversen; Thompson, Robertson, Ihiekwe ©, Mattock (Wood, 90+5); Olosunde, Barlaser, Crooks, Ogbene (Vassell, 82); Morris (Smith, 85), Ladapo.

Subs not used: Price (gk), Wood, Lindsay, Clarke, Hastie.

Referee: Marc Edwards

Attendance: 7,555 (987 Rotherham fans)