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League One Playoffs | Final
May 27, 2018 at 3pm UK
 
ST

2-1

Wood (32', 104')
FT
(aet)
Rodman (59')

Rotherham United earn instant return to Championship with extra-time win

:Headline: Result: Rotherham United earn instant return to Championship with extra-time win: ID:326962: from db_amp
Rotherham United beat Shrewsbury Town 2-1 after extra time at Wembley Stadium to earn promotion back to the Championship, 12 months on from their relegation.

Centre-back Richard Wood has scored twice to give Rotherham United a 2-1 win over Shrewsbury Town after extra time in this afternoon's League One playoff final.

Wood's opening goal was cancelled out by Alex Rodman an hour into the match, but his second came too late for Shrewsbury to respond for a second time.

Rotherham return to the Championship after a season-long absence, while for Shrewsbury - who relied heavily on keeper Dean Henderson - their 29-year wait for second-tier football goes on.

Paul Warne took the decision to make three changes to United's starting lineup, and it was his side who had the better of things in the first half, despite finishing eight points below Salop at the end of the regular season.

After a couple of early crosses into the box, Omar Beckles was grateful that the referee waved away penalty appeals after one clearance popped up and hit him on the arm.

The centre-back was not so fortunate two minutes later, though, as he was penalised for dragging down Wood inside the box.

Highly-rated Manchester United goalkeeper Henderson, on loan with the Shrews for the season, was equal to David Ball's spot kick, however, giving his side a temporary reprieve.

Town were struggling to find any real rhythm, perhaps still haunted by their defeat in the EFL Trophy to Lincoln City here last month, with Alex Rodman's blocked shot and Carlton Morris's flicked header their only real sights of goal in the opening 45 minutes.

Despite also not being at their best, Rotherham took a deserved lead into the interval after Wood again won his battle with Beckles by getting his head to a corner first to glance home.

Shrewsbury had a little more about them in the early parts of the second half, and they were level from the game's next big chance just short of the hour mark.

In a move right from the training ground, Mat Sadler slipped the ball through to Rodman after Shaun Whalley worked the free kick short, and the winger helped the ball past Marek Rodak.

Following a low-quality period of 20 minutes, the tie finally burst into life in the final quarter of normal time as both teams created some chances.

Joe Newell and Caolan Lavery both had weak attempts kept out, while another substitute in Lenell John-Lewis dragged a shot across goal from a good position.

Lavery could have made himself a hero when played through on goal 12 minutes from time, only to curl the ball a yard wide with just Henderson to beat.

Having been kept quiet for large parts, Michael Smith was the next player to squander a glorious opportunity as he got the ball stuck under his feet when attempting to round Henderson late on.

Whalley and Ryan Williams exchanged shots, both of which were easily dealt with by Rodak and Henderson respectively, but the latter would be called into action one last time to keep out Williams with a fine save from the final act of normal time.

The match-winning moment would arrive towards the end of an otherwise quiet first period of extra time, with Wood this time getting in front of John-Lewis and converting with a first-time finish.

Victory for Rotherham ensures that all three of last season's relegated clubs have returned to the Championship at the first attempt - the first time that has happened at any level in the English Football League since 2006-07.

ROTHERHAM UNITED (4-4-2): Rodak; Emmanuel, Ajayi, Wood, Mattock; Taylor (Williams 76'), Vaulks, Towell, Newell (Forde 111'); Ball (Lavery 71'), Smith

SHREWSBURY TOWN (4-1-4-1): Henderson; Bolton (Riley 73'), Sadler, Nsiala, Beckles; Godfrey; Whalley, Nolan, B.Morris (Payne 56'), Rodman; C.Morris (John-Lewis 66')

amp_article__326962 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2018-05-30 17:30:22:
html db last update - 2021-03-05 14:11:59 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html
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