MX23RW : Saturday, May 11 18:21:39| >> :120:30449:30449:
[monks data]
Wycombe Wanderers
Championship | Gameweek 1
Sep 12, 2020 at 12.30pm UK
Adams Park
Rotherham logo

Wycombe
0 - 1
Rotherham


Bloomfield (22')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Ihiekwe (90+2')
Harding (72')

Michael Ihiekwe earns Rotherham late win at Wycombe on opening day

Michael Ihiekwe earns Rotherham late win at Wycombe on opening day
© Reuters
The Chairboys are denied a point in first match in the second tier.

A stoppage-time header from Michael Ihiekwe helped Rotherham get their Championship campaign off to a perfect start with a 1-0 win at fellow promoted side Wycombe.

The home team had shaded the best chances of the match, with Daryl Horgan shooting over from close range and Darius Charles hitting the crossbar, but Ihiekwe's late header saw Rotherham mark their return to the Championship after a one-year absence with three points.

Wycombe's starting line-up for their first match in the second tier featured eight players from their League One play-off final victory two months ago, but it was new signing Horgan who should have opened the scoring as early as the second minute.

A long ball over the top found Scott Kashket, who squared to Horgan inside the six-yard box. The former Hibernian man was unmarked but was always stretching and could only put the ball over the bar.

Joe Jacobson was Wycombe's top scorer in League One last season and almost turned provider on the half-hour mark.

Kashket had looked dangerous early on and after he was fouled on the left, Jacobson swung a free-kick into the box which fell to Charles, who turned and stuck out a foot only to see his effort cannon back off the underside of the bar.

The ball was cleared as far as Alex Pattison and his low drive was kept out by former Wycombe loanee Jamal Blackman in the Rotherham goal.

Rotherham had chances of their own, with a Kieran Sadlier free-kick touched round the post by Chairboys keeper Ryan Allsop and Ihiekwe heading inches wide from a Joe Mattock free-kick.

The end-to-end style of play continued in the second half but neither side was able to establish any clear periods of dominance, with veteran midfielder Matt Bloomfield volleying wide for Wycombe on the hour.

With 20 minutes to go, Kashket again found himself with a chance after latching on to a neat flick from David Wheeler. He lobbed Blackman, only to see the ball cleared off the line by Wes Harding.

Both sides made late attacking changes, with Kyle Vassell on for Rotherham and Nick Freeman for Wycombe as they sought a dramatic winner.

Rotherham looked the most likely to snatch victory, with two long shots from Vassell signalling their intent.

In the end it was Ihiekwe, making up for his earlier missed chance, who rose highest to meet a Mattock corner to break both the deadlock and Wycombe hearts.

ID:414050: cacheID:414050:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:4813:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Bournemouth manager Jason Tindall pictured in September 2020
Read Next:
Saturday's Championship predictions including Bournemouth vs. Blackburn Rovers
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CLeicester CityLeicester463141189414897
3Leeds UnitedLeeds462791081433890
4Southampton462691187632487
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4621121370472375
6Norwich CityNorwich4621101579641573
7Hull City461913146860870
8Middlesbrough46209177162969
9Coventry CityCoventry4617131670591164
10Preston North EndPreston46189195667-1163
11Bristol City461711185351262
12Cardiff CityCardiff46195225370-1762
13Millwall461611194555-1059
14Swansea CitySwansea461512195965-657
15Watford461317166161056
16Sunderland46168225254-256
17Stoke CityStoke461511204960-1156
18Queens Park RangersQPR461511204758-1156
19Blackburn RoversBlackburn461411216074-1453
20Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds46158234468-2453
21Plymouth ArgylePlymouth461312215970-1151
RBirmingham CityBirmingham461311225065-1550
RHuddersfield TownHuddersfield46918194877-2945
RRotherham UnitedRotherham46512293789-5227


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!