Sheffield Wednesday (1)

Hillsborough, home of Sheffield Wednesday based in South Yorkshire and play their trade in League One. Nicknamed the “Owls” after their move to Owlerton, Sheffield. My second visit to this ground after that Steel City Derby day back in March 2019 and today it’s a different derby!! It’s time for Rotherham United to descend on Hillsborough! Me and the Merry Miller will be there in the Leppings Lane end! Live on Sky Sports! Let’s hope it’s a cracker!!

The short walk over to the University of Sheffield tram stop and now the tram to Hillsborough. It’s pretty rammed… Certainly picked a good time! 10 minutes later and here I am in Hillsborough! Now for the short walk over to Hillsborough Park and to the ground! Now we wait for the Merry Miller. It’s filling up fast here at Leppings Lane… Tensions are starting to boil over and the atmosphere is starting to build!!

He’s finally here and we can go in now!! “We’re going to lose today!” The Merry Miller surprisingly not confident about today’s result… £26 for this South Yorkshire Derby! Boooo! This gangway is pretty cramped… Rotherham fans in fine spirits so far!! “We’re Rotherham United! We’re top of the league!” And the Wednesday fans respond with: “Hark now here! The Wednesday sing! United run away!” Rotherham: “Deedar Deedar!” Out come the players and here comes Silver Lining!

Kick Off! “Ladapooooo! Scoring all the goals Freddie! Make the Millers sing Freddie! Bouncing everywhere we go!” 4 minutes in and Rotherham play forward, it’s worked through to Chiedozie Ogbene, he shoots… Straight at the keeper! He’s Offside so it wouldn’t have counted anyway. “Da da dadada dadadada Wednesday!” The Wednesday drum is banging loud!! Can’t hear the trumpet though…

8th minute now and Wednesday have a corner, in it comes… Header from Wednesday… Blocked and it falls to Sam Hutchinson… He’s headed just over! 13 minutes on the clock and Wednesday play down the right, it’s crossed in but no one is there, Wednesday retrieve it on the left, it’s crossed in again, it comes to Nathaniel Mendez-Laing on the volley… Keeper saves… And he claims it! Close for Wednesday there!

“Wooooaah! Everywhere we go! Watching Rotherham United! Putting on a show!” Me and the Merry Miller giving it a good go! Come on Millers join in!!! It’s a slow game with nothing to shout about… Wednesday looking the better of the 2 teams so far whilst Rotherham look a bit nervous…

32nd minute and Wednesday come forward down the left, they get it in the middle, it’s played to Jack Hunt… He’s scored… But the flag is up and it won’t count! Rotherham fans loving that one!!! 5 minutes later and Wednesday play a ball to Callum Paterson down the left, he plays it across the edge of the box to Barry Bannan who shoots… Just wide!! So close! A poor half of football comes to an end at 0-0…

Second half, 50th minute and Rotherham lose the ball in their own half and Callum Paterson runs into the box on the left, he plays it across… Keeper claims. “Richard Wood is magic! He wears a magic hat!” 58 minutes now and Rotherham have a corner, “COME ON YOU REDS!!” In it comes… It’s set up for Ben Wiles who runs in with the header, Freddie Ladapo is there… GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!! Right place, right time! And Rotherham lead at Hillsborough!! The Leppings Lane end goes CRAAAAZZZZZYYY!! Pyros galore here! 0-1!! “EIEIEIO! Up the Football League we go!”

Can Wednesday respond? My third time watching Wednesday and I’ve never seen them score… They’re going to have to if they want to get something from this game. 2 minutes after the goal and Wednesday play forward, it’s played to Barry Bannan running in, he’s brought down on the edge of the box and it’s a free kick in a dangerous position. Barry Bannan steps up… Good save by Josh Vickers in the Rotherham goal!

73rd minute and the atmosphere is hotting up here at Hillsborough!!! Rotherham win a free kick just inside the Wednesday half, Chiedozie Ogbene is loving that… Oh no! A bottle is thrown at him from the Wednesday fans… Thankfully it missed him but you don’t like to see those scenes! The free kick is played into the box… Headed away by Wednesday.

1 minute later and Wednesday play a ball forward, it’s fallen nicely for Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and he’s through on goal here, he gets into the box and shoots… Vickers saves!! Massive moment in the game! Heart in your mouth moment for the Merry Miller…

83 minutes on the clock and Rotherham have a free kick on the right, it’s lumped into the middle, it falls to Michael Smith who shoots… HE’S DONE IT!!! Brilliant finish!!! And surely that wins it for Rotherham!!! 0-2!!! Limbs in the away end again!!

Hillsborough is starting to empty… “Is there a fire drill? Is there a fire drill?” Wednesday look finished sadly for them… Into stoppage time and Rotherham play it to Ogbene, he goes for goal from 25 yards out… Just over! Wednesday come forward again, Rotherham clear… The Referee blows for full time!!! A massive win for Rotherham!!! The ground has emptied pretty quickly in the home end as if it was leaking fans… Out we go and off we go to the New Inn in Rotherham for the Celtic vs Raith Rovers game! Oh hello Millmoor!

FT: Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Rotherham United

Ratings

• Atmosphere: 10/10 – A fantastic atmosphere once again at Hillsborough!! Rotherham fans incredible! The Wednesday fans gave it a good go as well! I could hear their drum for quite a while but not the trumpet as it was drowned out by the Millers faithful!!
• The Ground: 7/10 – Make no mistake, this is a fantastic ground! But it could be better in my opinion. It is pretty cramped at the Leppings Lane end outside the ground and in the gangway. There is also restricted views around the ground with the pillars in the Leppings Lane end and in the Kop stand and the pitch looked pretty poor today as well… I’ve seen non league teams with better pitches than that today! I think this ground needs to redevelop the Leppings Lane end and that would make it a 10/10 ground for me!
• Expense: 8/10 – I loved today but it was a boring first half for £26!
• Overall Experience: 10/10 – An unreal day with the Merry Miller and a cracking result for Rotherham!! What a day it has been!! What a weekend!!

35/40

Here is how my last visit went – click here