It was touted as a "must win" game, as the second from bottom team played the bottom team. And to be fair it looked like just that in the first half. To put it bluntly it was appalling fare, the teams showing exactly why they've been propping up the division so far. The best of the action was a heart stopping Rotherham penalty appeal as Warner collided with a Millers striker; and a Kavanagh free kick which Pollitt in the away teams' goal didn't hold first time. We had more than our fair share of possession but absolutely no quality in the final third. Lee and Thorne were static up front, and Rotherham got ten men behind the ball as they looked for their first win of the season.
City were half heartedly booed off at the interval by a strangely subdued home crowd of around 11,000 (where were those extra 5000 fans who were there against Leeds?). The only bright spark was the industrious Gary O'Neil in the centre of midfield who looked a class above the rest of the team.
Just when it looked like nothing was going to go in, Chris Barker put a quality cross in to the far post where Peter Thorne scored with a trademark header for his fourth goal of the season. The relief was tangible and you could feel the tension drain out of the team and the crowd. Rotherham never really looked like getting back in it (although it didn't stop me worrying that they would). The three points were assured when an O'Neil corner was headed home expertly into the top corner from 12 yards for Thorne's second of the game and his fifth of the season. After that the Bluebirds could have scored more - Lee with the best of the chances; managing to bugger up a one on one with the goalkeeper, before Joe Ledley placed the rebound wide from the edge of the box. Ledley made his first team debut, coming on for the out of sorts Parry, and will be looking to agree terms on a professional contract this week.
All in all, a poor match, and a performance that was nowhere near as good as against Leeds two weeks ago; but what an absolutely vital three points. That's 7 in the last 12 now, and we have to look to kick on with away matches to Brighton and Millwall in the next week. Nearly made the two hour delay on the M4 on the way home worthwhile...
Match report from icwales here. Nigel's report to follow.