Rotherham United vs Reading. Sky Bet Championship.
New York StadiumAttendance9,263.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Rotherham and Reading at the New York Stadium as goals from Richard Wood, Conor Washington, Jamie Lindsay and Chiedozie Ogbene sealed a comfortable Millers win.
Saturday 13 August 2022 18:11, UK
Rotherham ran riot in the first half to thump Reading 4-0 and claim their first win of the new Championship season.
The Millers struck all four goals before the break to effectively end the contest before half-time and give the promoted side a huge early-season confidence boost, with most bookmakers predicting an immediate return to League One.
It is the first time Rotherham have netted four at this level under Paul Warne as they put in a clinical first-half display at the New York Stadium.
The hosts made their early pressure count with the opening goal coming in the seventh minute through captain Richard Wood.
The defender, who was still lurking up front from a previous attack, was on hand to head into the bottom corner from Ben Wiles' centre.
Reading almost responded soon after through defender Tom Holmes but his back-post header was clawed out to safety by Viktor Johansson.
Conor Washington then blasted Rotherham further in front after 15 minutes.
The striker latched on to a long ball from Wes Harding and, with few options, smashed the ball powerfully beyond Joe Lumley from an angle.
Washington had a chance for his second moments later but could not turn his header goalwards after Chiedozie Ogbene had squared for him after beating Lumley for pace.
Rampant Rotherham's dream start continued after 18 minutes with Jamie Lindsay's tame curling effort fumbled by Lumley before trickling over the line.
Reading could have got back into the game before the break but Tom Ince fired into the side-netting and Junior Hoilett forced a routine diving save from Johansson.
Instead it was Rotherham who got the game's fourth goal through Ogbene two minutes into added time at the end of the first half.
The flying winger again beat Lumley to a through-ball and rounded the goalkeeper with ease before slotting in.
With the game gone, a largely quiet second half ensued and it was still the home side who were looking the more likely to add to their tally.
Wood came close to netting his second but he headed just over the bar from a corner.
Wiles was then denied by a brave tackle from Tom McIntyre after substitute Georgie Kelly had headed back across goal for him, with Ogbene having caused more havoc down the left flank.
Hoilett drew another save from Johansson but the Swedish goalkeeper had little trouble punching away his long-range strike and denying Reading even a consolation strike.
Rotherham's Paul Warne: "It was a good day at the office. The lads took on the game-plan really well. To go in four-nil at half-time was a joy. In the end I am really pleased. There are obviously things we can improve on. All that going forward didn't please me as much as our defending. Generally speaking we defended really well. I thought we deserved to win but maybe not by four goals - but I'm not complaining.
"When we had a chance to score we took it. The goals came at good times. The lads were really ruthless and, in this league, to pick up points, you have to be. That pleases me. It was like being in a volcano so to keep that intensity up is difficult. As an attacking force, we were really good. There were some really good performances."
Reading's Paul Ince: "I said to the lads that you can't play like that first half. They got bullied. In the first half we didn't fight. We let everybody down. We have got to fight for the fans that came. It's easy to single out individuals, but that's all of us. The decision making was diabolical.
"I don't mind losing games but if you play like that in the first half then you're going to lose more than you win, that's for sure and they have been told that in no uncertain terms."
