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Rotherham logo
Championship
Oct 2, 2015 at 7.45pm UK
 
Burnley logo

1-2

Ward (75')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Gray (9'), Vokes (81')

Live Commentary: Rotherham United 1-2 Burnley - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's live text coverage of Burnley's 2-1 win away at Rotherham, as the Clarets pick up the points needed to climb up to third place.
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Burnley edged out Rotherham United 2-1 at the New York Stadium to climb up to third place in the Championship table.

Andre Gray's goal just nine minutes in looked like it was going to be the difference, until Grant Ward's sublime individual strike pulled the Millers level.

The Clarets showed real character to hit back almost immediately, however, thanks to Sam Vokes's tap-in which rescued the three points late on.

Relive Sports Mole's live text coverage below.


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Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Championship clash between Rotherham United and Burnley at the New York Stadium.

That's right - another weekend of Football League action is upon us, starting in South Yorkshire this evening with what should be an entertaining affair between two sides seeking maximum points for contrasting reasons. Burnley are targeting the playoffs, while Rotherham are simply focusing on pushing away from the drop zone at this stage.

There is plenty to get through between now and kickoff at 7.45pm, so let's get straight into things by checking out some team news from South Yorkshire.

TEAM NEWS!

ROTHERHAM UNITED XI: Camp; Buxton, Collins, Rawson, Mattock; G Ward, Smallwood, Andreu, Newell; Clarke-Harris, Derbyshire

BURNLEY XI: Heaton; Darikwa, Duff, Keane, Mee; Boyd, Jones, Barton, Arfield; Vokes, Gray


Starting with the home team, then, and caretaker boss Eric Black has opted to keep things pretty much as you were from last time out. Grant Hall comes into the middle as part of the only change, with Rotherham seemingly sticking with the midfield diamond which has served them well of late.

That enforced change comes as a result of Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe returning to parent club Norwich City earlier this week, but otherwise United remain the same from the impressive win over Birmingham City last time out. Lee Frecklington and Paul Green are still struggling with injury problems, meanwhile, so they miss out completely.

In terms of the visitors, Joey Barton is handed his first start for the club since joining on a free contract during the summer. The ex-Queens Park Rangers man made an impression in his maiden appearance off the bench last weekend, and now he has a chance to showcase his midfield steel from the off.

There is also a place in the starting lineup for record signing Andre Gray, who will undoubtedly prove key to Burnley's hopes not just tonight but for the duration of the season. Elsewhere, Scott Arfield and Tom Heaton will both earn their 100th appearance in the claret and blue.

BENCH WATCH!

ROTHERHAM UNITED SUBS: Collin, Broadfoot, Maguire, Maguire, D Ward, Ledesma, White, Richardson

BURNLEY SUBS: Gilks, Ward, Ulvestad, Taylor, Lowton, Long, Kightly


Joey Barton, formerly of Queens Park Rangers, earns his first Burnley start at the New York Stadium this evening

Joey Barton for QPR on May 10, 2015© Getty Images


Well news of Steve Evans potentially leaving Rotherham first emerged a couple of weeks back when the club were going through a poor run of results. Seven games without a win left the Millers in a bleak position, but the Scotsman was always confident that he could turn around their fortunes. That he certainly did, with back-to-back wins over Cardiff and Birmingham over the past fortnight lifting United up to 20th.

With Evans now gone, and the search for a new manager firmly underway, Rotherham must simply look to keep this momentum going into the international break. Paolo Di Canio, Darren Ferguson and Nigel Clough have all been linked with the vacant position, but right now it is down to Eric Black to overlook matters from the dugout.

Burnley head into this game on the back of a mixed month, meanwhile, having won four games on the spin before taking just one point from the last six on offer. As things stand the Clarets are still very much on track to earn a place in the playoffs - and indeed a return to the Premier League - but they need more points on the board before that two-week hiatus to avoid falling adrift.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Burnley have failed to score on their last three trips to Rotherham, with two of those games finishing goalless. In fact, the Millers have won four and lost none of their last seven home fixtures against the Lancashire outfit.

DID YOU KNOW? Rotherham's victory over Birmingham last weekend ensured that they won back-to-back games in the second tier for the first time since December 2003, making Steve Evans's departure this week all the more surprising.

Find out what what the Sports Mole team had to say about the match ahead of kickoff


Both sets of players are now out onto the field, with kickoff just moments away. The post-Steve Evans era at Rotherham is about to get underway.

KICKOFF! The Football League weekend is officially underway as Rotherham, in their traditional red and white this evening, immediately look to get the ball forward.

Burnley have lost just one of their last six games on the road, incidentally, winning three of those fixtures. They have a decent run coming up, too, where they do not take on any of the current top ten in their next five outings.

SHOT! An early shot on target from Grant Ward, who capitalises on Derbyshire's pass and fires one right down the middle which Heaton was comfortably behind.

The ever-lively Darikwa fails to get the better of Newell, but he earns a corner for his efforts which comes to nothing in the end as Jones's cross ran straight through the box.

GOAL! ROTHERHAM UNITED 0-1 BURNLEY (ANDRE GRAY)

Well when you break the bank to land a striker, these are the type of chances you count on that player to take. Gray has done exactly that, latching on to Boyd's ball over the top and smartly placing the ball beyond Camp when left one-on-one with the United keeper.

Perfect start for Burnley, then, who have made the most of the only chance in these opening 12 minutes or so. Derbyshire is looking lively at the moment, meeting Andreu's cross into the middle with a header that was always heading wide.

Rotherham have made a habit of scoring from set-piece scenarios this season, and they created half a chance from this latest corner. The ball fell to Ward on the edge of the box, only for his effort to be scuffed well wide of the target.

It is the hosts who have been looking to put together all the attacking moves so far, but they are not troubling Burnley's backline in fairness. Plenty of time for that to change, of course, yet the Clarets will be more than happy with this opening to the game.

Andreu decides to take on a free kick from around 25 yards out, putting his foot through the ball but getting the contact all wrong. It sailed well wide of Heaton's goal in the end, with Rotherham now looking to up things slightly.

A good noise being generated around the New York Stadium at the moment, as the Burnley fans behind one of the goals make their presence known. Andreu has just had another attempt at goal, meanwhile, which again fizzled wide of the target.

Rotherham have certainly looked the better side on the ball but, again, Burnley will not be all that concerned. It is they who hold a one-goal lead, with no real questions being asked of their defence thus far.

SAVE! It is all a little disjointed in the middle at the moment, but the ball finally breaks Burnley's way and Darikwa gets a shot in which takes a big deflection on its way through to cause Camp a problem. The United stopper was able to parry it to safety, though, to end a rare attacking move.

Barton and Jones are seeing plenty of the ball in the middle of the park, allowing Burnley to simply dictate the flow of the game. Rotherham's diamond coming out second best in that particular department at the moment.

The Millers just seem unable to get the ball into advanced areas at the moment and, when they do, it is often left to Andreu to get away a shot-to-nothing from range. Still the one goal in it, thanks to Gray's early breakthrough.

Gray goes down inside the box under a slight challenge from Rawson, but the former Brentford man is quickly back up to his feet and looking to win the ball back. Nice to see some honesty from the forward.

OFF THE BAR! So very nearly a stunner from Sam Vokes, who sees his long-range effort crash back off the bar. The half-volley had the beating of Camp, but the frame of the goal was there to deny the Welshman.

SAVE! Burnley really tightening their grip on things now, as Jones curls one towards the bottom corner. It was a nice height for Camp to push aside, but that is another example of the Clarets having things all their own way in attacking areas.

Both Burnley full-backs are getting forward at will, with Barton and Jones dictating play in the middle. Rotherham's formation needs alternating before half time, or they risk conceding a second.

The atmosphere has gone awfully flat now, which is a direct result of the tempo slowing down on the field of play. Rotherham have done little to threaten their opponents' goal this half; Burnley are looking good value for their lead.

Rotherham almost get a slice up one end with a lucky break, but Burnley storm right up the other in a move that culminates in Gray swinging in a cross that is crying out for someone to tap it home.

SAVE! Heaton is called into action for the first time tonight really when pushing away Derbyshire's shot. The forward turned well and fired away on the end of Clarke-Harris's flick, but there was to be no way through.

Just the one minute of added on time at the end of this first half, which we are now firmly in. Vokes has just had a shot deflected wide, so one last chance for Burnley to build on their lead.

HALF TIME: ROTHERHAM UNITED 0-1 BURNLEY

Burnley fail to make the most of that late chance, so it remains 1-0 heading into the break. It is the Clarets who will be the happier of the two, having scored the first half's only goal and enjoyed the better of things in terms of possession.

Andre Gray's goal is the difference at the break, with Burnley's record signing latching on to a ball over the top and smartly placing the ball past the reach of Camp. Vokes also came close to adding a second, only for his half-volley to come back off the bar.

Darikwa and Jones each tested Camp before the opening 45 minutes was out, while Derbyshire was the only home player to truly test Heaton up the other end. Rotherham's diamond midfield did not appear to work all that well against Burnley's 4-4-2 formation, which Eric Black may look to alter at the break.

BENCH WATCH!

ROTHERHAM UNITED SUBS: Collin, Broadfoot, Maguire, Maguire, D Ward, Ledesma, White, Richardson

BURNLEY SUBS: Gilks, Ward, Ulvestad, Taylor, Lowton, Long, Kightly


A reminder of the options available to both managers, but we are unlikely to see any unforced alterations at the break. A slight tweak of system from the hosts, maybe, yet Rotherham certainly showed signs in the first half that they do have a goal in them.

Andre Gray's ninth-minute goal is the difference between the sides as the second half approaches



RESTART! Burnley look to get forward from the off, swinging in a cross from the right which Camp easily collects.

Ward's ball looked destined for Derbyshire inside the box before Duff got his head to it. Both teams looking to find their rhythm in these opening stages of the second half.

A good start to the half from Rotherham, but they really need to move it up another gear if they are to ask serious questions of their opponents. Derbyshire's elbow has (accidentally) collided with Barton's face, so play has been broken up once more.

CHANCE! A decent chance for Rotherham, which comes about following Darikwa's howler. The full-back initially scuffed his clearance before losing his balance and allowing Clarke-Harris all the time in the world to pick out Andreu, who saw his attempt deflect off Barton and end wide of goal.

Rotherham have more of a cutting edge about them in this second half, which is forcing Burnley into making more errors. The next five minutes or so should be interesting, as both managers perhaps look to change things around slightly from the bench.

The Millers finding space which was not there in the first half, as Newell bursts through and aims to slip in Clarke-Harris. His pass had far too much on it, though, leaving his teammate with the task of crossing into the side-netting.

Well following that little spell of United pressure, Burnley do well to compose themselves up the other end of the field. Barton hit the ball from 30 yards out, with the deflection falling into the path of Arfield to himself strike off target.

YELLOW CARD! The first booking of the contest is shown to Rotherham's Danny Collins for a rather cynical challenge to break up play.

Burnley's short corner nearly costs them as Rotherham win possession and break forward through Ward, but the midfielder's cross is easily collected by Heaton with no red and white shirt around him.

YELLOW CARD! Smallwood shows his frustration by clattering into Barton and earning himself the contest's second yellow. That puts him one caution away from a suspension.

The first batch of subs appear to be readying themselves to come on, which is just as well because this one has gone awfully flat. Rotherham have done well since the restart, but that opening goal still seems no closer as Clarke-Harris defends a corner in a rather unorthodox manner.

Derbyshire pulls the ball back into a central position where Andreu was lurking, but the Rotherham man last his footing and Burnley could again clear their lines with ease.

ROTHERHAM SUBS! Ward and Maguire have been on the sidelines for an age waiting to come on, and finally the ball goes out of play to signal the double switch. Newell and Andreu are the home players to make way.

Andre Gray's goal inside the opening 10 minutes is still the difference between Burnley and Rotherham as we enter the final quarter of the match

Andre Gray of Burnley during the Sky Bet Championship match between Bristol City and Burnley at Ashton Gate on August 29, 2015 in Bristol, England.© Getty Images


GOAL! ROTHERHAM UNITED 1-1 BURNLEY (GRANT WARD)

Well pretty much out of nowhere, Ward fires home an absolute screamer. The Tottenham Hotspur loanee collected the ball 25 yards from goal, but rather than pick out a teammate he took it on himself and successfully found the top corner for his first United goal.

SUBS! Burnley respond to that setback by bringing on Matthew Taylor for George Boyd, while Kirk Broadfoot replaces Farrend Rawson for the hosts.

We have an interesting final 10 minutes on our hands, then, thanks to Ward's sensational solo effort. Rotherham's third change was enforced on them due to injury, and with a couple of players limping around they may find themselves down to 10 men for the remainder.

GOAL! ROTHERHAM UNITED 1-2 BURNLEY (SAM VOKES)

Superb character shown by Burnley, as just six minutes after being pegged back they find themselves ahead once more. It was Vokes who this time found the net, tapping home from five yards out after Camp parried Arfield's initial shot into the striker's path.

Well it had been a pretty poor second half for the neutral up until Ward's strike, and now we have just been spoilt thanks to Vokes's quick-fire response. Maguire has just fired an effort well off target, showing that Rotherham are not done just yet.

Gray proves that he is more than just a goalscorer by getting to the byline and cutting a fine cross for someone to tap home, but Buxton was first to the ball to clear away the danger.

BURNLEY SUB! Andre Gray leaves the field to a strong applause from the 1,500 travelling fans, with Kevin Long the man to take his place for these final couple of minutes.

Rotherham seeing plenty of the ball but have been restricted to just a Danny Ward shot from range, which was dragged well wide. Four minutes of added time to go at the New York Stadium.

Clarke-Harris curls a left-footed shot onto the roof of the net, which just for a moment looked like it was going to dip under the crossbar. Rotherham fast running out of time.

YELLOW CARD! Johnson-Clarke lunges in on Barton, leaving the steely midfielder in a heap on the floor. It is just a yellow for the Rotherham man, though, despite cries from the away stands for a red to be shown.

FULL TIME: ROTHERHAM UNITED 1-2 BURNLEY

A little bit of pressure at the end, but Burnley hold strong from a hopeful punt up the field to claim all three points. Andre Gray's goal looked to be the difference for so long, but the game burst into life in the final final 15 minutes.

Grant Ward made things all square with a sublime solo effort on 75 minutes, but credit to the Clarets for hitting back almost immediately through Sam Vokes. That win is enough to take them into third place ahead of the weekend's action, while managerless Rotherham remain one point and one place above the drop zone.

Well that is all from me in terms of live text coverage, but be sure to stick around as we bring you some reaction from the New York Stadium.

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A general view of the New York Stadium following the pre season friendly match between Rotherham United and Huddersfield Town at The New York Stadium on July 20, 2013
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