Rotherham United 1-0 Port Vale
A patched-together Port Vale side came close to taking something from the New York stadium, only for ten man Rotherham to net a late winner.
Vale were forced to name injured duo Griffith and Myrie-Williams and youth team player Smith on a five-man bench as their side was reduced to the bare bones.
Unsurprisingly, it was Rotherham who applied the early pressure although Vale had two good first-half chances firstly for Birchall and then a Knott corner was cleared off the line.
Just before the break, Rotherham were surprisingly reduced to ten men when Smallwood was shown red after a challenge on Knott. However, Vale were struggling at the back with Duffy injured and the Valiants forced into more involuntary changes. Williamson came on with Lloyd moving to left-back, Dickinson to centre-half and Tomlin to the wing.
The injury-hit Valiants continued to thwart the Millers who were now piling on the pressure and rookie keeper Sam Johnson was forced into two fine second-half saves.
However, despite the home side’s chances, it was the Vale who had another golden opportunity when Williamson broke through but he failed to notice two unmarked Vale players in the box and the chance was wasted.
Rotherham made Vale pay for that missed chance as the prolific Kieran Agard took advantage of a defensive error to make it 1-0 with eleven minutes left. Vale countered through a free-kick from Myrie-Williams and Hugill hitting a post but it was the home side who took all three points as Vale’s unbeaten run against Rotherham was finally brought to an end.
Vale: Johnson, Yates, Duffy (Williamson), Robertson, Dickinson, Dodds, Birchall (Myrie-Williams), Knott (Shuker), Lloyd, Tomlin, Hugill
Subs: Smith, Griffith
Attendance: 7,743