Captain Richard Wood Is Rotherham's Hero As They Regain Championship Status

Captain Richard Wood had an astonishingly good game for Rotherham United in the League One Play-Off Final as Paul Warne’s side bounced back up to the Championship at the first time of asking.

Wood bagged a brace - his first a header typical of the tough defender- either side of Shrewsbury Town’s response from Alex Rodman. Rodman’s goal came from a textbook training ground move, orchestrated brilliantly by manager Paul Hurst.

Whilst the Rotherham defence were waiting for a curling free-kick into the box, Shaun Whalley took it short to Matt Sadler who produced a through ball of the highest quality. Rodman poked it past Rotherham goalkeeper, the Slovakian Marek Rodák, to finish off a brilliant piece of football from Shrewsbury.

The game started lively enough, and looked set to be a thriller under 10 minutes when Shrewsbury’s Omar Beckles fouled Wood. Rotherham forward David Ball - who has nine goals this season- put the ball on the penalty spot but Dean Henderson, fantastic throughout produced the save to keep the Shrews hoping. 

Henderson is on loan from Manchester United, and could have been the hero Shrewsbury wanted, but not the one they deserved. The 21 year-old produced a magnificent save in the final minute of the ninety to stop Ryan Williams powerful shot, and to take the time into extra-time. By then, the exhaustion from both sides was all too apparent.

Rotherham were by far the better team through the course of the match, creating more chances and having more shots on target. Legs were tiring and the expression on the faces of the 22 players on the pitch plainly shown that extra-time wasn’t at all desired.

Minutes before the first half of the extra half an hour began, Richard Wood stepped up again, meeting Joe Newell’s corner at the back post, entirely unmarked, and triggered scenes from the Rotherham contingent, including his wife who was in attendance. 

Wood was magnificent and is fully deserving of all the plaudits coming his way in leading Rotherham back up to the Championship.

Hopefully the Millers will have a more successful season in the second tier of the English football league, after gaining the unwanted record of the worst points tally for a Championship team in the 2016/17 season.

Tonight, however, they have all the right to celebrate.