LAST UPDATE | 1 May 2023
ROTHERHAM ENSURED THEY will be playing Championship football again next season with a battling 1-0 win over 10-man Middlesbrough.
The game will have raised concerns for Ireland manager Stephen Kenny, however, with Chiedozie Ogbene forced off early in the game through injury. Ogbene, playing on what is his 26th birthday, was fouled when breaking clear by Hayden Hackney, and was eventually forced off after a lengthy stoppage.
Ogbene, out of contract with Rotherham at the end of the season, may have played his final game for the club. Meanwhile, Ireland’s next Euro 2024 qualifier is away to Greece on 16 June.
Manager Matt Taylor confirmed after the game that Ogbene was taken off with a hamstring injury.
Rotherham have been relegated had been relegated in each of their previous three campaigns at this level but Hakeem Odoffin’s powerful second-half strike meant they secured survival ahead of what would have been a nervy final-day trip to bottom side Wigan.
Victory guarantees they cannot be caught by Reading who, following their six-point deduction, occupy the third and final relegation spot. The Royals can now only catch Huddersfield, who are three points above them, have a game in hand and a slightly better goal difference.
Middlesbrough, who have already secured a play-off berth but could have replaced Luton in third, lost defender Anfernee Dijksteel to a straight red card just before half-time and could find no way back once Odoffin struck three minutes into the second half.
Rotherham fans were calling for another red card when Paddy McNair looked like he had hauled down former Bohemians striker Georgie Kelly on his way through to goal but the appeals were dismissed by referee Keith Stroud.
Elsewhere, Hayden Carter’s late header clinched a vital point as Blackburn kept their narrow play-off hopes alive with a 1-1 Sky Bet Championship draw against Luton.
Blackburn’s promotion push seemed all-but over after the Hatters – whose third place was secured after Middlesbrough’s defeat at Rotherham earlier on Monday – took the lead early in the second half through Tom Lockyer’s low header.
This was after Rovers missed excellent chances through Harry Pickering and Tyrhys Dolan.
But Carter popped up in the 86th minute with his first goal of the season to equalise and it would have been even better had Sammie Szmodics’ volley in injury time found the net instead of rattling the woodwork.
Rovers remain ninth – two points from sixth – and although their fate is not in their own hands, a win over top-six rivals Millwall next week could yet be enough to get them back in those coveted berths.
With reporting by Gavin Cooney
