Rotherham United

Rotherham United crashed out of the FA Cup following a 3-1 defeat to Aldershot at the EBB Stadium. Danny Hylton hit a hat-trick for the home side before seeing a red card for violent conduct late in the game. Lee Frecklington netted a second-half penalty for the Millers who also finished the game a man light, due Kari Arnason’s two yellow cards. 

Millers boss Steve Evans made three changes to the side that snatched a late victory at Rochdale in midweek, with Alex Revell, Jack O’Connell and Daniel Nardiello all returning to the side. Kieran Agard and Kayode Odejayi dropped to the bench whilst Liam Ridehalgh was unavailable. Meanwhile, Liverpool loanee Adam Morgan started on the bench.

There was just a minute on the clock when the Millers won a corner, and from it Nardiello should have got the first goal of the game. Pringle’s ball was flicked onto the back post where the returning striker hit the crossbar with a header from inside the six-yard box. 

The visitors were soon punished, as Hylton scrambled the ball into the back of the net in the sixth minute. Former Miller Kieron Cadogan got two attempts at a cross from the right, and with the second, Hylton was initially blocked, but did eventually manage to net at the near post to put the home side ahead. 

The first real response didn’t come until the 13 minute mark as Michael O’Connor’s driving run through midfield eventually led to a square ball for Nardiello who cut inside before firing just wide of Jamie Young’s left-hand post. Seven minutes later and Jason Taylor this time tried his luck, although his fizzing effort from 25 yards was just wide of the opposite post. 

Yet another missed chance would come back to haunt the Millers as they conceded from a set-piece on 22 minutes. Pringle’s tackle was penalised on the Aldershot left, and the same combination brought another goal as Cadogan’s free-kick was headed home from close range by Hylton. 

The response came in the form of a free-kick that was comfortably held by Young, and a cross from Frecklington just after the half-hour mark that Nardiello headed into the ‘keeper’s arms. 

At the other end, O’Connell had to be alert to deny Hylton a hat-trick after Arnason’s missed tackle on the halfway line allowed the striker to break clear. 

The Millers handed a debut to Morgan at half-time, and added Cameron to the mix as well but a turgid start to the second period meant a chance didn’t arrive for 10 minutes. Unfortunately for the Millers it came in the from the home side again as Hylton cut inside from the left, but couldn’t find the target with his shot from 18 yards. 

The first Millers chance soon followed and came from Lee Frecklington. The midfielder, who made his debut and scored a goal here earlier in the season collected Revell’s knock-down, and despite his effort being on target, it was saved comfortably by Young. 

As the clock ticked over onto the hour mark, a hopeful ball forward was flicked on by Michael Hector where Hylton raced onto it and slid through the legs of Warrington to seal a hat-trick and put the Shots 3-0 ahead. 

Kayode Odejayi was introduced, and almost got on the end of a Cameron cross, but as it bypassed him Mark Bradley met it, only to head high and wide.

On 69 minutes, Morgan and Frecklington combined to play in Cameron whose cross from the byline was handled by Shots skipper Ben Herd. Frecklington stepped up to take the kick and despite a good hand on it by Young got the Millers off the mark. 

Frecklington, now operating in a deeper role came within inches of doubling his tally when Morgan created him some space from Odejayi’s flick-on allowing him to lob the ‘keeper with the outside of his boot only for the ball to hit the base of the post. 

The chances dried up midway through the second period with Hylton the lone striker for the home side. Aaron Morris did try his luck from 25 yards but wasn’t troubling the Millers goal with it. 

The afternoon got worse for the Millers who were reduced to 10 men on 82 minutes. Kari Arnason, who had been booked just a few minutes before was penalised for a tackle on halfway and received his marching orders for a second yellow card. 

Things were evened up just two minutes later however, as the afternoon turned sour for the hat-trick hero. Hylton lashed out at Jason Taylor off the ball and was immediately shown a straight red card by referee Gavin Ward. 

Four minutes were added on by Mr. Ward which saw Hector bring a save from Warrington, and then Morgan get his first sniff of goal only to be denied by a super stop from Young.

Aldershot: Young, Herd, Brown, Bradley, Tonkin, A. Morris, Hector, Rose, Cadogan (Mekki 83), Vincenti, Hylton.

Unused: Rankine, Sinclair, Bernqvist, Reid, G.Morris, Roberts.

Millers: Warrington, Bradley, Arnason, Mullins, O’Connell, Taylor, O’Connor (Cameron HT), Frecklington, Pringle, Nardiello (Morgan HT), Revell (Odejayi 60).

Unused: Thompson, Agard, Walker

Att: 2,992 (512)