Shrewsbury: Garner, Herd, Langmead, Murdock, Tierney, Davies, Hall (Hunt 63), McIntyre, Hibbert (Pugh 69), Constable, Madjo (Cooke 46).
Subs Not Used: Bevan, Darren Moss.
Goals: Davies 43.
Rotherham: Warrington, Joseph, Coughlan, Sharps, Widdowson, Hudson, Danny Harrison, Mills, Taylor, Derek Holmes (Peter Holmes 58), O'Grady.
Subs Not Used: Oxley, Tonge, Newsham, Ross.
Goals: Mills 37.
Ref: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).
Assistant Referee (yellow) R Merchant
Assistant Referee (plain) J Sheffield
Fourth Official P Gibbs
Attendance: 5265/463
John McMahon names an attacking formation as his side take on Rotherham; he's gone with a 4-3-3 formation that sees Madjo, Constable and Hibbert all starting.
It was a bright opening from both sides as they looked to take the early advantage, Town's 3 strikers were working hard to break down the visitors and Davies was all over the pitch playing in a free role in the midfield.
Rotherham looked dangerous when they got the ball into the Town half and Holmes and O'Grady tested Garner with a couple of decent long range efforts.
IT was the visitors who looked like they would take the lead when a hanging ball into the box caused problems for the Town defence, it came to Ryan Taylor who took the ball past the Garner to get in a shot which was blocked, the ball then fell to Mark Hudson but Garner was quickly at his feet to snatch the ball.
Town came close to taking the lead just after the quarter-hour mark when Ben Davies looped over a cross towards Constable that was just nicked out for a corner by Joseph. Kev McIntyre curled over a great corner to the back post that found Langmead rising the highest to get in a decent downward header that had Warrington beaten but the post was there to save the visitors.
The game had hit a bit of lull on the half-hour mark with both sides not really getting into their stride. Rotherham were seeing a lot of the ball in the Town half but without really hurting the home side and when Town got possession moves were breaking down a little too quickly.
Rotherham took the lead on 36-minutes after they were lucky to be awarded a free-kick just outside the Town box, Mark Hudson hit in a decent ball that went through the clutch of players and found Pablo Mills in space, he hit a good shot across the goal which Garner got down to flick the ball up but the shot had a little too much on and he couldn't keep it out.
Minutes later Rotherham had another decent chance to add their lead when the ball came to Taylor just outside the box, he hit a great first time effort but McIntyre managed to get a foot in the way to take the sting out of it and Garner was there to save.
Town were on level terms on 42-minutes after some quick thinking, a bustling run forward from Ben Davies saw him win a foul over on the right, it was quickly taken by Constable to put Davies in space in the box, he continued his run and then drove a shot across Warrington and in at the base of the far post.
Half-time: 1-1
The game started with John McMahon making his first change with Andy Cooke coming on to replace Gay Madjo. It nearly paid off as Cooke had the ball in the back of the net after 2-minutes but he had strayed into an offside position.
Town were looking bright for the first 10-minutes and were taking the game to the visitors, Cooke had injected some extra height into the forward line and Town were having much the better of the possession. They were getting a lot of decent balls in from free-kicks as well but just couldn't get the break they deserved.
Rotherham had shown little as an attacking force in the half but were always dangerous, this was highlighted when Marc Joseph found space down the right, he flashed a cross across the goal that Ryan Taylor just missed getting a touch on by inches.
John McMahon made his second change on 63-minutes when he brought on David Hunt to replace Asa Hall in a straight switch. Then minutes later he made his final switch bringing on Marc Pugh to replace Dave Hibbert with Town looking like they had switched to a 4-4-2 formation.
Town crafted an excellent chance after the ball saw pushed out wide to Marc Pugh from Tierney, Pugh took on his marker and then cut inside before laying the ball off to McIntyre, he hit a superb low drive that flashed just wide of the far post.
The best of the attacking play was coming from Town with Cooke and Constable working tirelessly to make the space for Pugh and Davies to exploit down the wings, Cooke had a couple of decent half chances and Constable caused problems when he swivelled and shot but the better option may have been to lay the ball off to Cooke who was in a better shooting position.
It was still Town who were having the better of the attacking play with the ball sticking in the Rotherham half for the majority of the game, there were still decent half chances falling to Town with Cooke and Constable all seeing the ball in the box but still they couldn't the break in front of goal that they deserved.
Full-time: 1-1
