Wood fires Rotherham into Championship

Paul Warne was perfectly happy in his job as Rotherham’s fitness coach in November 2016 when he was persuaded to take over as manager, already the third of the season, to oversee their inevitable relegation from the Championship with some dignity. Not only did he manage that but, after reluctantly accepting the role permanently, he has now taken them back at the first attempt, beating Shrewsbury 2-1 in an unbearably tense League One play-off final.

The unlikely figure of the Rotherham captain, Richard Wood, was the hero, the central defender scoring from two set-pieces to add to his goal that set the Millers on their way in the semi-final against Scunthorpe. The winner came in extra time, required after Alex Rodman had equalised Wood’s first-half opener.

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Forecast by many before the season to be relegation candidates, Shrewsbury spent 200 days in the automatic promotion places before running out of steam and finding themselves in the play-offs. Objectively speaking this has been a brilliant season, but you will not be able to tell their manager, Paul Hurst, who spent nearly his entire playing career with Rotherham, that now.

Predictably the game started with the frantic energy of a six-year-old finally let outside after being locked in the house all day with a bottle of Ribena. Toto Nsiala, Shrewsbury’s ‘enthusiastic’ defender, fouled David Ball in the opening minutes and it was a hint of what was to come soon afterwards.

Rotherham were awarded a penalty in the eighth minute when Omar Beckles discovered putting Wood in a headlock was against the rules. David Ball stepped up but Dean Henderson, on loan from Manchester United, dived to his right and saved. The referee, Rob Jones, had been alert enough to spot the foul but not that Henderson was two yards off his line and six Shrewsbury players were in the area when Ball took his shot.

Rotherham continued to be the better team and Beckles was lucky not to concede a second penalty for a virtually identical foul on the same player moments later. Perhaps he should have tried it again in the 32nd minute when Wood gave Rotherham the lead, rising above Beckles with brilliant purpose to head a Joe Newell corner down into the ground then up into the roof of the net.

Shrewsbury could not get a decent foothold in the game, their play uncoordinated and lethargic. Rotherham did not have too many problems keeping them at arm’s length and indeed had the better chances.

The opening stages of the second half went much the same way until a moment of excellence totally out of step with their general performance drew Shrewsbury level. Shaun Whalley played a free-kick from the edge of the area short to Matt Sadler and he sharply flicked it to Rodman who jabbed home from six yards. It was as brilliant and smart as it was unexpected.

Rotherham, hitherto so sparky, seemed to lose much of their momentum but Shrewsbury could not press home their advantage; thus, for the remainder of normal time, the teams circled each other like boxers waiting for the other to throw the first punch.

As the clock ticked down exhausted limbs and minds in the Wembley heat would only allow sporadic bursts of attacking; Michael Smith went round the keeper but could not finish off the chance for Rotherham, Whalley’s scuffed shot for Shrewsbury was stopped. Henderson made a brilliant late save to deny Ryan Williams and extra-time ensued.

The additional 30 minutes began with both teams looking so shattered that a big mistake somewhere was inevitable, and it came just before half-time. Newell skimmed a free-kick to the back post and there was Wood again, entirely unmarked to toe-end the ball into the corner.

Rotherham fans have a song about Wood, a variant on the old “is magic, he wears a magic hat” chant. Their version emphasises the defender’s toughness. They sang it loud and proud as their team closed out the game, and will be singing it long into the night after this one.