2 weeks Ago
And while the Millers claimed a 2-0 win, there were positives for Boro on what was almost a decent away day. However, there was also some glaring concerns. Did those team problems translate to an individual level though? This is how I rated the effort of the players.
Player ratings Rotherham United (0) 2 Stevenage (0) 0 Taye Ashby-Hammond - 5 Was surprised he was brought back in and while there was no blame attached for the first goal, he didn't seem his usual confident self. Only his second game this season and behind a makeshift defence too, that can be used as justification - for now. Luther Wildin - 6 It was a relief to see him back as it stopped the panic over who was going to play centre-half.
Did OK too, kept Rotherham fairly quiet until it got to the 70th minute. Dan Butler - 6 Kept Mallik Wilks fairly quiet, even if the Rotherham man did have a couple of shots. Few tackles were good, positioning was OK.
Just an OK performance. Jordan Roberts - 7 In the early going, he was at his best - pressing high, pressing hard. Was also at his mischievous best too, winning free-kicks and causing consternation for the home players and bench.
Kane Smith - 5 Better than Tuesday, not at his best though. Some things worked , some didn't. Fairly similar to Stevenage as a whole at the minute.
Lewis Freestone - 6 Made one great block early in the second half and he at least tried to block Hugill's shot for the winner. Could have gone anywhere, went in. Otherwise he continues to be fairly solid.
Harvey White - 4 Set-pieces were poor. Granted there wasn't the obvious target here, Carl Piergianni basically, but too often it hit the first man or the wall. Couple of good tackles but needed him to prove a point today.
Didn't manage that. Jamie Reid - 4 That first goal of the season seems a long way away at the minute. Not sure what is needed to get him out of the rut but its not what he's doing at the minute.
Dan Phillips - 7 The one real shining light - tackled, pressed, ran. Should have done better with Stevenage's one and only shot on goal and can be better at making things happening with the ball. Still this was a good effort.
Eli King - 4 Not a good performance. There was nothing really laudable, nothing really positive. There's a good player in there, I'm sure of that, but didn't offer anything here.
Jake Young - 5 Stuck out on the left of the three behind Reid, meant he was barely in the game. I keep saying it, is time to put two strikers together as they are wasted on their own. READ MORE: Hugill changed the outcome - Alex Revell's reaction to the game at Rotherham Stevenage beaten 2-0 at Rotherham United - report Rotherham United 2 Stevenage 0 - full match recap, as it happened Subs - List, Freeman, Pressley, Simpson Another game, another day when the replacements never performed.
Another worry. Rotherham stand-out players Alex Revell pointed out Hugill, the Rotherham fan sat just behind would have disagreed. Wilks was noticeable if not brilliant, same with Hungbo.
Overall If it had finished 0-0, you could have said it was a good away performance. It's fine margins but the problem is Stevenage are often relying on those fine margins to pick up points at the minute. Earlier in the season, goals weren't coming, but chances were.
Now, even they are going missing. It's starting to becoming too alarming, too concerning. A consistent and positive run of results is not a million miles away but it is going to take a 180 change of tack I reckon.
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