Rotherham close in on play-off place with win at Gillingham

Posted Wednesday, April 18, 2018 by PA

Rotherham all-but sealed their League One play-off place with a 1-0 win at Gillingham.

Will Vaulks scored the only goal of the game, but the Millers missed a host of other chances as they move to – in all likelihood – one more victory of a guaranteed place in the top six.

Paul Warne’s men weathered an early Gills storm, which saw Conor Wilkinson head just over, and took the lead in the 20th minute.

Right-back Josh Emmanuel surged down the right and fed it to Michael Smith, who teed it up for Vaulks to smash home from 20 yards.

Richard Wood came close to doubling the lead soon after half-time when he ran out of defence all the way to the edge of the area, where his low shot was tipped around the post by Tomas Holy, with Wood’s header from the resulting corner blocked.

The game should have been over in the 67th minute when Vaulks produced a defence-splitting pass for Ryan Williams, who raced through on goal but dragged his shot wide.

Williams also put a free header wide and then Smith wasted the opportunity of the match, blazing wide from Jon Taylor’s cross, but the missed chances did not prove costly.