The Millers struck late to defeat local rivals Cheadle Town and secure their first league points of the season at the second time of asking. Having progressed in the FA Vase on Saturday, battling past a spirited Winterton Rangers side, The Millers went into the match with confidence and joint-bosses Dave Birch and Mike Norton resisted the urge to make changes to their side, making just the one injury enforced change to the starting eleven Sam Fitzgerald having picked up a knock in Saturday’s win.

Central defender Jared Wild signed for the club on Monday evening, on a dual registration basis with Glossop North End, and he slotted into the back four alongside Adam Muir, Harry Norris and club captain Mason Fallon. Jack Wray, Kyle Oakes, Gary Gee and Jake Pollard made up the midfield four, with Saturday’s scorers Sam Amankwaa and Michael Connor in attack.

Amankwaa looked lively early on, seeing two long range efforts saved by Marcus Burgess in the Cheadle goal, before sending a vicious effort against the outside of the post on 20 minutes. The Millers were forced into two substitutions in a largely uneventful first half, Jake Pollard and Adam Muir picking up injuries, replaced by Bruno De-Brito and Shelton Payne.

On 57 minutes Ben Edgson was introduced for Amankwaa and at last The Millers began to threaten, almost immediately Edgson saw a header well saved as his physical presence saw the home side begin to gain territory. Connor headed narrowly wide from a Payne free-kick and Edgson again went close, pouncing on an error and forcing Burgess into a fine save with a fierce 18 yard effort.

With just nine minutes to go the deadlock was finally broken, a long ball from the back flicked on by Edgson and in-form striker Connor raced through to poke past Burgess to give The Millers the lead. Less than a minute later and it was two, substitute De-Brito capitalising on a mix up in the visitors defence before sending in a clever cross that was headed home firmly by Edgson for his first goal for the club.

Cheadle battled hard and went close in the dying minutes, Wray clearing off the line, before they did finally pull a goal back deep into injury time as Dominic Kennedy headed home from a curling left wing free-kick. There was barely time to restart the game as The Millers secured the win and put their first league points of the 2020/21 season on the board.