Late goals from Joshua Kayode and Freddie Ladapo saw Rotherham United into the Northern Semi-Finals of the EFL Trophy. Mika Mandron gave the hosts the lead with Scott Robertson also on the scoresheet for the Alex with
Manager David Artell made seven changes from Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Burton Albion with Kayne Ramsay, Callum Ainley, Oli Finney and Mandron (who again captained the side) the only players to retain their places while Connor Salisbury would be involved with the first-team for the first time as he would be on the subs bench.
The opening chance and goal of the game came in the 11th minute with Robertson’s through-ball finding Mandron who finished into the bottom corner across the keeper before Finney would be the next to have a shot 10 minutes later but would drag the ball wide. The visitors would get the equaliser 4 minutes before the break with Kieran Sadlier would curl one in from outside the box.
They would take the lead on 57 minutes as a cross was flicked on at the near post and finished by Michael Smith at the back post from close range before Robertson would equalise with a 30-yarder on 71 minutes. Rotherham would take the lead with 8 minutes to play with Kayode heading home a cross from their right before substitute Ladapo would add the fourth in stoppage-time from the edge of the area.
Our next couple of games sees the Alex hosting Charlton Athletic next Wednesday before a home game against Shrewsbury Town the following Saturday.
What can we take out of this game?
It’s another annoying game that saw us concede more soft goals where we need to stop crosses or mark better in the middle to make it more difficult for opposition teams to score their goals.
As far as the tournament as a whole is concerned, it’s been a good way of looking at fringe players in a first-team environment and who is pushing to be included in the starting 11s going forward and has allowed the scholars to make debuts (and launched Zac Williams into the first-team for league games) – including Salisbury late in this one – ahead of them gaining more regular first-team football either for the Alex or for loan teams over the next 12-18 months.
Alexandra Stadium
EFL Trophy
4/01/2022 8:00 pm
Attendance: 771
Referee: Rebecca Welch
| Crewe Alexandra | Rotherham United | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mandron, Robertson | Sadlier, Smith, Kayode, Ladapo | ||||||
| Jaaskelainen | Vickers | ||||||
| Daniels | Edmonds-Green | ||||||
| O'Riordan | Ihiekwe | ||||||
| Thomas | Mattock | 78 | |||||
| Ramsay | 68 | Harding | |||||
| Griffiths | 84 | Sadlier | |||||
| Robertson | Lindsay | 71 | |||||
| Johnson | Odoffin | ||||||
| Ainley | Bola | 71 | |||||
| Mandron | 84 | Smith | 62 | ||||
| Finney | 68 | Grigg | 78 | ||||
Substitutes |
|||||||
| Richards | Johansson | ||||||
| Porter | 84 | MacDonald | |||||
| Murphy | 68 | Ferguson | 71 | ||||
| Gomes | Rathbone | 71 | |||||
| Sass-Davies | Ogbene | 78 | |||||
| Salisbury | 84 | Kayode | 62 | ||||
| Tabiner | 68 | Ladapo | 78 | ||||
Game Statistics |
||
| 6 | Goal attempts | 17 |
| 4 | On Target | 10 |
| 2 | Corners | 5 |
| 6 | Fouls | 17 |
| 0 | Yellow Cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 45 | % | 55 |