Tom Adeyemi’s 79th minute goal saw already-relegated Rotherham United to a 1-0 win against a much-changed Blues side at the New York Stadium. Town keeper Dean Gerken saved a seventh minute Danny Ward penalty, while the Blues went closest to scoring when Dominic Samuel hit the bar in the first half.

Mick McCarthy made nine changes for a game which had nothing riding on it with only skipper Luke Chambers and left-back Myles Kenlock remaining from the team which beat Newcastle United 3-1 on Monday.

Gerken returned in goal with Tommy Smith partnering Chambers at the centre of the defence and Josh Emmanuel at right-back.

In midfield, Teddy Bishop joined Toumani Diagouraga in central midfield, while Andre Dozzell was to their left and Danny Rowe made his full Town debut on the right of a front three. On-loan Reading man Samuel was also handed his full debut up front along with Brett Pitman.

Former Town keeper Lewis Price was on the bench for the Millers, while defender Semi Ajayi, who had a trial with the Blues in 2015, was among the starters.

Grant Ward, who was amongst the Town subs, was warmly applauded by the New York Stadium faithful when his named was announced prior to kick-off having spent last season on loan with at Rotherham.

Neither side had threatened until the seventh minute when the home side were awarded a penalty by referee Jeremy Simpson, who gave three the last time he took charge of a Blues match, the 2-1 loss at Reading in September.

Danny Ward, a January Town target, won a battle for a ball into the area with Chambers and his shot deflected to Jon Taylor, who was clumsily bundled over by Josh Emmanuel as he broke into the area. The official looked to have got it right.

Ward took what was his side’s first spotkick of the season and slammed it low to Gerken’s left but the Blues glovesman, making only his fifth start of the season, got across superbly and stuck out a strong arm to keep it out, much to the delight of the visiting fans behind his goal.

Two minutes later, Ward played a ball for Adeyemi to chase but Emmanuel held him off and Gerken claimed.

On 14 the Town keeper comfortably dealt with a Taylor strike at the far post with Rotherham having started strongly, despite missing the chance to go in front from the spot.

However, the Blues were beginning to pass the ball around in spells and two minutes later, Samuel won a freekick just outside the area but which ultimately came to nothing.

Rotherham continued to create opportunities at the other end and on 21 Gerken failed to punch a ball lofted back into the area after a corner and Chambers and Smith made important blocks from Adeyemi and Ajayi before Kenlock eventually cleared the danger.

Dozzell had by now moved inside with Bishop on the left of a midfield four and was starting to see more of the ball. In the 23rd minute Ajayi did well to cut out a clever through ball for Samuel.

On 34 Carlton Morris shot well over for the Millers but three minutes later the Blues went close to going in front.

Dozzell fed Rowe to his right and the January signing from Macclesfield cut in and hit a low shot which Rotherham keeper Richard O’Donnell saved well down to his left. The loose ball fell to Samuel at a tight angle and the on-loan Royal smashed the rebound against the bar.

Town, with Dozzell beginning to pull the strings with increasing confidence in the centre of midfield, were getting on top and starting to press for a goal as half-time approached.

In the final moments of one minute of injury time Rotherham striker Ward pulled up as he chased a ball alongside Smith with what appeared to be a pulled hamstring and was replaced by Alex Bray at the start of the second half.

Much-changed Town had taken a while to settle and would have been behind but for Gerken’s excellent penalty save.

The Millers had one or two more chances before the Blues began to take charge in the latter stages with Rowe and then Samuel both unfortunate not to have scored.

Town, who had Bishop back in a central role and Dozzell on the left as the half restarted, struck the second half’s first shot but Samuel’s low effort from 30 yards flew well wide of O’Donnell’s right post.

Eight minutes after the restart the Millers were forced to swap Ajayi, who had undergone treatment for an injury in the first half, for Anthony Forde.

Moments later, Diagouraga was booked for a foul and from the freekick deep on the left Will Vaulks stabbed an Adeyemi long ball wide from a tight angle on the right.

On 57 at the other end Pitman seized on an error by Vaulks as they chased a bouncing ball into the area but under-hit his shot and O’Donnell saved to his right.

Bishop was replaced by Kieffer Moore in the 63rd minute with Samuel moving to the left of a front with Rowe on the right of the midfield three.

Two minutes after the the change, the ex-Forest Green Rovers frontman wasn’t far away from putting the Blues in front. Rowe and Pitman had exchanged passes on the right and the ex-Bournemouth man crossed low but just too far in front of the sliding Moore.

Rowe hit a deflected shot wide in the 66th minute with the Blues starting to put the Millers under pressure.

Three minutes later, the former Macclesfield man went even closer when the ball fell to him following a freekick on the left. However, his deftly struck effort from the edge of the box curled just the wrong side of O’Donnell’s right post.

Town threatened again in the 70th minute when Moore was sent away on the right and crossed low for Samuel but Darnell Fisher turned the ball across the face of goal and behind. From the corner, Chambers nodded down and wide.

Joe Mattock picked up the Millers’ first booking for a poor challenge on Kenlock before Town swapped Diagouraga for Kevin Bru.

Rotherham chances had been rare since the break but on 78 the home side weren’t far away from opening the scoring. Forde crossed from the left and sub Jonson Clarke-Harris’s header caught Smith before bouncing past the wrong-footed Gerken’s right post.

But Millers fans didn’t have to wait too much longer for a goal. Following a corner, Fisher returned the ball from deep and it fell to Adeyemi, who smashed past Gerken.

Town almost got back on terms immediately, Moore heading a Rowe corner from the left goalwards but Fisher nodded off the line.

The Blues went close again on 83 but O’Donnell did well to block Samuel’s powerfully hit volley.

The Millers might have made it 2-0 a minute later when Gerken pawed Forde’s left-wing cross out to Taylor but the winger blazed over.

Town swapped Rowe, who had looking lively before tiring towards the end, for Freddie Sears for the final five minutes.

Clarke-Harris curled a freekick wide in four minutes of injury time which Rotherham saw out comfortably to end their run of 17 games without a win and to record only their fifth home victory of the season, the final whistle receiving a loud cheer from the Millers’ beleaguered support.

The game had looked set to end in a goalless draw - which would probably have been a fairer reflection of the game overall - before Adeyemi’s goal, which was a poor one to concede from Town’s perspective with Fisher’s ball into the box one which ought to have been dealt with.

Prior to Rotherham going in front, the Blues, although not always fluent, had looked the more likely scorers with chances starting to be carved out with greater regularity and they might have done better with some of their opportunities.

While the Millers goal led to the inevitable chants aimed at Mick McCarthy from sections of the travelling support, the result should been seen in the context of Town having fielded a young and significantly changed team - featuring five academy graduates - against a more senior side, even if it was one as comprehensively relegated as Rotherham.

The Blues have the dubious honour of being the only Championship team not to have beaten the Millers at least once this season.

There were positives to be taken from the display with Dozzell dictating the game for spells before tiring late on, while Rowe was a threat from the right and, along with Samuel, will feel he ought to have taken at least one of his chances.

The result sees the Blues drop to 16th with two games of their 2016/17 remaining, at home to Sheffield Wednesday next Saturday and at Nottingham Forest on the final day.

Rotherham: O’Donnell, Fisher, Ajayi (Forde 53), Wood, Mattock, Adeyemi, Smallwood, Vaulks, Taylor, Morris (Clarke-Harris 70), Ward (Bray 46). Unused: Price, Newell, Belaid, Purrington.

Town: Gerken, Emmanuel, Chambers (c), T Smith, Kenlock, Diagouraga (Bru 75), Bishop (Moore 63), Dozzell, Rowe (Sears 85), Samuel, Pitman. Unused: Bialkowski, Skuse, Digby, Ward, Sears. Referee: Jeremy Simpson (Lancashire). Att: 8,266 (Town: 704).

Photo: TWTD

BlueArrow added 19:23 - Apr 22 More money saved this week by not going. Ker ching
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Steelmonkey added 19:27 - Apr 22 Not surprised by the result just parr for the course. Never interested in playing our fringe players enough throughout the season, so McCarthy makes nine changes just to prove how right he is. Poor beggers never really had a chance of being able to play together, and certainly not by being asked to play out of position. He'd rather have end of their career journey men then giving our own a fair and level chance to prove themselves. Maybe that some who played today arn't good enough to make the grade, but to have expected all of them to turn in special performances is beyond reason, playing against a side that have played together all season, Rotherham were always going to have a better understanding of how to play together. Today McCarthy has done nothing to bolster the confidence of the fringe players, or the morale of the travelling fans, just the exact opposite but I guess that's what he wanted.

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yorksblue added 19:36 - Apr 22 Did MM think this was a cup tie?
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yorksblue added 19:36 - Apr 22 Did MM think this was a cup tie?
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runaround added 19:47 - Apr 22 I have a horrible feeling Mick made all the changes today knowing that it was unlikely to gel straightaway & he could then say his policy of only playing young players in an an emergency is correct. The club is more important than his ego. People will point to Kenlock now being a regular but I strongly believe this only due to Knudsen being injured & if Mick is still our manager next season, Knudsen will be first choice irrespective of how well Kenlock has been playing. His constant bigging up of German & Douglas whilst mentioning negatives about the young players is annoying & worrying. The "be careful what you wish for brigade say without MM we'll be relegated next season, I can see us getting relegated with him as, despite his previous record, it seems to have gone awfully stale here for him

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Notts_tractor added 20:03 - Apr 22 Totally agree, Cornishblu. It was awful being there today. The most entertainment was provided by the inflatable dinosaur in the crowd, and the kids at HT looked more like a team than us. I also agree with you about this bizarre acceptance of utter mediocrity. So what if we had nine changes? That team should still be capable of not losing to the worst team this division has seen for years. I was so embarrassed walking back to the car that I hid my scarf.

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Tractorboy1985 added 20:17 - Apr 22 Well all say GREAT.. finally the youngsters and Rowe etc.. he's given them a chance and clearly they are not good enough! I am far from an MM inner but he's given them a chance and they have let him down! They are not ready for week in week out championship football.. watched Brighton last Night and they hardly played football.. slump up to Murray.. Evans is to blame for selling Murphy and not replacing him this season.. MM tactics have been abysmal yes but he needs backing this summer as he is not getting replaced or we will be mid-Lower table mick again!

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blue75 added 20:22 - Apr 22 Can't believe we lost today all I've read this week is what a great manager we've got even got an award for performance of the week. But as expected he set his team up to null the opposition (which have already been relegated) Dozzell and Bishop both spent time on the wing both are central players obviously the messiah knows this but chooses to ignore it. I'm sure there are still McCarthy believers out there I hope they can explain why cos I really don't understand!!!

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Lightningboy added 20:29 - Apr 22 Not acceptable even with 9 changes. It's about time McCarthy was made aware by TWTD of the fans discontent with his style of football,style of management,foul language (I don't mind but there are plenty of kids on here reading it) and generally how disliked he has become by the majority of fans - we need someone to be our voice in press conferences not swept aside as nobodys - I don't like being spoken down to by McCarthy when he labels any criticism as "pub gossiping" or words to that effect as if we know nothing about the game - I know good football Mick & what you've served up for 5 seasons has generally been utter cr@p - he's had far too smooth a ride over,certainly over the last 2 seasons. For the record I don't dislike Mick BUT I seriously dislike the fact that he is at our club - he should never have been allowed anywhere near this club to begin with - our owner has a hell of a lot to answer for with the 4 major decisions he's made in the 10 years he's been here - 10 years of complete failure. Sort it out now Marcus or do us all a favour and sell...I don't want to see McCarthy "rebuilding" our club - I want a manager that fits our footballing ideals - from somewhere we need to find the next George Burley.

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cat added 20:35 - Apr 22 Cornishblu - If you choose to go to games under our ultra entertaining Dino and come away deflated, unlike the inflatable Dino in the crowd, what do you expect????. Make your bed you lie in it fella!!, everyone has a choice and I for one ain't the slightest bit surprised with today pervormance!!
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grumpyoldman added 20:56 - Apr 22 People should chill out, MM is resting his strongest team for the upcoming vital matches, what would you play your top players against a relegated team, no need if we win those important matches we will end up roughly where we are now. The genius strikes again
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Spanishblueblood added 21:02 - Apr 22 Anyone who understands football will know that making 9 changes is a recipe for disaster! Of courseit didnt bloody work, this is Micks way of sticking two fingers up at the fans again 'you wanted some youngsters in, well there you go, see i was right, they are not ready' The guy is just an ignorant, arrogant, nasty man and the sooner he id gone the better! As for those that are backing Mick on here, i suggest you are pretty clueless when it comes to football, Bert especially! The idea is to blood players in, this means slowly integrate them in with experienced players, not sling the whole bloody lot in together. Insane, pi$$ poor management!

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dukey44 added 21:04 - Apr 22 Before I put comment I will apologise for the comment....... FIck OFF MICK BLOODY HELL MARCUS GROW SOME BALLS AND GET RID!!!! Sorry but needed to say that!!!
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Barhamblue added 21:08 - Apr 22 Thats 9 changes 9 redundecies. ... or 8 if we keep gerken! These boys have done themselves nothing to be included next season. Major clear out coming.
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ormey75 added 21:13 - Apr 22 Normal service is Resumed
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Dissboyitfc added 21:15 - Apr 22 Tony88...in your own words too many changes in one go! i assume you are using the word PATHETIC to describe McCarthy? because to make so many changes does more harm than good! MUCK OUT!!!!!!!!!!!
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chepstowblue added 21:28 - Apr 22 Personally id probably not have travelled from South Wales today had I known the line up. I have no problem with wholesale changes and giving the 2nd string and young uns a run out in the league cup but to do this on the back of 2 good performances,2 good results and the only feel good vibe that I can remember all season was very unwise. A hurriedly assembled group of strangers,none of whom knew what the other was doing.What's happened to Teddy Bishop?.....just awful,same for Dozzell,and unfortunately whilst being a good athlete Josh Emannuel is nowhere near good enough... dithering on the ball and slow in thought. Certainly on todays evidence this is why MM has no faith in them. A horrible day which deservedly yielded nothing.

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happybeingblue added 21:40 - Apr 22 Back to reality not surprised basically telling us that what is in reserve is not good enough. at least he wont be banging on about how great Bish is in the summer... YAWN !
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Tractorboy1985 added 22:19 - Apr 22 HE GAVE THE F'ING FRINGE PLAYERS A GO THAT YOU HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR.. they are dog S**T! Get over it.. we beat Newcastle with OUR FULL STRENGTH SIDE.. it's ONE GAME YOU MORONS!!! This season has been disgraceful down to poor tactics from the manager but more obvious F' ALL spent on players.. I am totally in agreement with possibly 80% of this forum but the buck lies with Evans who continues to keep his wallet to close to his jacksie! Players... tactics... sh1te.. but u can't polish a turd!!!

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Tony88 added 22:22 - Apr 22 Lightingboy I don't know where you have been for the last few months MM knows exactly how the fans feel and has said so on many occasions. As for you not liking MM talking down to you, if you were more constructive with your comments like a lot of people on this site and not come out with the same old rubbish week in out you may deserve some respect. I also want MM to go but you will not get rid of him with comments like yours.

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blueboy1981 added 22:23 - Apr 22 Didn't take long for reality, normality, and a certain persons natural traits to return - did it ? NO such thing as a non - important game - every game has to be a potential WIN, no excuse for any other objective. 16th place in a non too impressive League = a pretty pathetic season. The Dino has to GO.
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RegencyBlue added 22:24 - Apr 22 Our squad hasn't had sufficient investment for four years now. We have been shopping in the bargain basement and the cracks are beginning to show. This squad needs a clear out and meaningful investment in the summer just to stand still IMHO. If Evans doesn't change course we will be fighting relegation from the off next season.
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blueboy1981 added 22:41 - Apr 22 ........ total disrespect for the 700+ travelling fans - this man will do anything to antagonise, and show his total disrespect for supporters. Well done to you all - you deserve far better. He simply couldn't care less, and no one at the Club will make him. If he leaves tomorrow he will pocket another cool £2million, and he knows it. We are only ever going to proceed in one direction with him as Manager, and that's not the direction (most !) - of us want. But, of course, as is obvious to most - some will settle for ANYTHING - most unfortunately. He knows that too .... !!

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Tractorboy1985 added 22:50 - Apr 22 SOOOOOOO many don't get it.. you want mick out (I'm in attendance) after this abysmal season (but who would we get) OUR frustration should be fired at the bent ar5ehole that is EVANS!!! Taken the wickham cash.. taken the cresswell cash.. taken the mings cash.. taken the Murphy cash.. AND what do we get? Non league tripe clearly not good enough! The mans a tax dodger!! Mc Carthy or Mourinho.. this club under this bent owner are going no where fast! Billionaire?? My local semi pro side have spent near enough the same over the past 4 years!!!

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blueboy1981 added 23:12 - Apr 22 ...... Tractorboy1985 ...... you have no proof that MM has asked for a penny more than what has been spent. He is coy enough not to ask for any - if he did, more would undoubtedly be asked in terms of return from him. If I was Evans I would be extremely wary of releasing the purse strings to McCarthy - high chance that it would be wasted. Managers tactics, substitutions, favourites, and general attitude would all ring alarm bells to me, after seeing consistently what most of us have recognised week, after week, throughout the season. Quite simply MM lost the plot some time back - he's far too stubborn, and the game has left him way behind. He's someone who's tactics will always be adequate enough to grind out enough points to stay in the Championship (just) - no more, no less. Mid to lower table Championship is his level. For my money - I want, and expect more.

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