Town: Matt Jansen (18), Tom Denton (65)
Rotherham: Grant Darley (82), Danny Harrison (85)
Paul Stephenson's unbeaten reserve team put in a dominant performance at Rotherham's Don Valley Stadium this evening but were denied the win by a quick-fire two goal salvo from the home side late in the game.
Former Blackburn striker Matt Jansen (pictured) has been training with Town since the start of the week and gave the Terriers a first-half lead with a deft header as he impressed alongside the returning Andy Booth in attack and when substitute Tom Denton scored a second with 25 minutes to go all looked rosy for Stephenson's side, but two goals within three minutes for the Millers earned them a point in this totesport.com League fixture.
Every Town player performed well on the evening in front of watching manager Lee Clark, with Jansen a lively figure in attack and Academy shot-stopper Damian Eastham looking particularly assured in goal on his reserve team debut. The returning Booth also looked to be moving comfortably following his recent back problems and the Terriers bossed proceedings for the majority of the game.
Stephenson's side started the game in a 4-4-2 formation with Academy scholar Eastham in goal behind a back four of Werling, Unsworth, Lucketti and Tom Clarke. Flynn and Craney formed the central midfield duo with Berrett and Skarz on the right and left wings respectively, leaving Booth to partner Jansen in attack.
In their change strip of Centenary gold, the Terriers created the first chance of the game as early as the 2nd minute. A long clearance from 'keeper Eastham found the reliable head of Booth, who flicked the ball left to winger Skarz; the youngster cleverly found the onrushing Craney with a first-time pass inside but the midfielder could only steer his side-footed effort wide of the 'keeper's right-hand post from the edge of the box.
The Terriers controlled possession well in the early stages and forced the home side onto the back foot. Young custodian Eastham didn't handle the ball until the 16th minute, when he came out and confidently claimed a cross under pressure from tall Rotherham striker Taylor.
It looked like the men in gold had taken a 17th minute lead when Booth controlled a quick free-kick on the right side and lobbed a first time cross towards the back post, but Jansen's well directed header was tipped around the post brilliantly by 'keeper Steven Cann.
GOAL - However, Town did take the lead a minute later through Matt Jansen. The corner from the right side was played short between Skarz and Clarke before the latter played a top quality in-swinging cross into the box; Unsworth drew a defender to the front post with his run, leaving the former Blackburn striker the simple task of nodding the ball past the stranded goalkeeper from six yards out.
The Millers tried to take the game to Town following the opening goal and the next five minutes became a scrap for possession in midfield but Stephenson's side soon took control of proceedings again, with both strikers narrowly failing to connect with an excellent cross from Skarz on the stroke of the 23rd minute that was begging to be touched into the net.
Jansen looked sharp and lively up front alongside the returning Booth and was causing the Rotherham defence real problems. His persistence in the 29th minute led to a Town corner, which defender Clarke nodded narrowly wide after Skarz delivered a cross to the near post.
Rotherham survived a penalty shout for handball in the 31st minute as the Terriers continued to dominate. A good run and pass from left-back Werling almost led to another opportunity for Jansen in the 36th minute, but the goalkeeper came out well to smother the ball at his feet.
Midfielder Peter Holmes finally had Rotherham's first shot of the game in the 38th minute, but his long-range drive was gathered in well by Eastham.
James Berrett drifted infield from the right wing a minute later to collect a long clearance before spinning neatly on the edge of the box and firing inches wide of the post.
The talented Ireland under-21 player went even closer with a carbon copy of his earlier effort in the 41st minute - beating two Rotherham defenders before curling a superb effort against the foot of the left-hand post from the edge of the box.
Jansen then latched onto a through ball from Craney a minute later before poking the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper on the edge of the box, but a defender did well to cover and clear the ball to safety when it was rolling over the line.
Craney himself then tried his luck with a free-kick, but only succeeded in lifting the ball over the crossbar.
Rotherham had their best chance of the half in the final minute when winger James Dayton sent a good volley narrowly wide of Eastham's right-hand post from 25 yards out.
Town thought they had doubled their lead in the added time, but the goal was chalked off for handball. A clever pass from Jansen to Skarz saw the Academy graduate volley towards goal but the 'keeper palmed the shot into the air before the striker controlled the ball - allegedly with his arm - and fired the ball into the vacant net.
HALF-TIME: ROTHERHAM UNITED 0 TOWN RESERVES 1
SUB - Rotherham made a substitution during the interval, with Grant Darley replacing Tom Burgin.
The visiting Terriers started the second period as they finished the first - in control. Werling and Skarz had swapped roles down the left side and the German went on one speedy run in the 51st minute that left the full-back trailing in his wake.
Michael Flynn had the first chance of the second half in the 54th minute when he climbed highest at the back post to nod a Werling free-kick wide of goal when under heavy pressure. Flynn was playing on the right wing in the second 45, with Berrett moving inside.
Rotherham had their best spell of the game after the 55th minute - first Unsworth was required to make an acrobatic near-post clearance after good skill and a decent cross from the left from substitute Darley before Ryan Taylor collected the loose ball on the edge of the box and fired just over.
However, Town went back on the attack in the 58th minute - with Flynn forcing a good save from the Rotherham 'keeper with a first time shot after Jansen squared the ball on the edge of the box.
SUB - Rotherham made their second substitution in the 60th minute, with Stephen Brogan replacing Mitchell Austin.
Chris Lucketti headed a far post corner wide in the 62nd minute.
SUB - Town made a double change in the 62nd minute, with Booth and Jansen being replaced by Tom Denton and Lewis Nightingale; this saw Stephenson's side switch to 4-5-1, with Ian Craney playing just off the tall striker.
GOAL - Town doubled their advantage in the 65th minute, with sub Tom Denton scoring with his first chance of the game. The lofty forward won his side a free-kick down the right side after being tripped by a defender and he rose highest at the back post to expertly nod Tom Clarke's long delivery into the box across the goalkeeper and into the far corner of the goal.
It looked like Stephenson's side had scored a third from another set-piece in the 72nd minute after another excellent delivery from Skarz from a left-sided free-kick found Michael Flynn at the back post, but the goalkeeper pulled off an excellent reaction save to block his close range diving header.
SUB - Town made their final change of the game in the 74th minute, with Academy centre-back Leigh Franks replacing David Unsworth.
Clarke pulled off a good last ditch sliding tackle with ten minutes left to deny substitute Brogan a clear run at goal down the left side.
GOAL - Rotherham scored their first goal of the game in the 82nd minute through a determined run by substitute Grant Darley. The midfielder collected a loose ball in the centre circle before charging at the Town defence in positive fashion; he was slightly fortuitous to come away from a strong Franks tackle with the ball, but he used the space well to draw 'keeper Eastham before sliding the ball underneath his body and into the net.
GOAL - Rotherham then equalised in simple fashion three minutes later through Danny Harrison. The Rotherham man rose highest to nod a left wing corner, taken by Dayton, into the corner of the goal to level the scores.
Rotherham had built up a head of steam by this point and had the next shot of the game on the stroke of 89 minutes, with Alex Rhodes firing straight at Damian Eastham from the edge of the box.
Town tried to find a winner in added time, but the closest they came was a James Berrett shot that was blocked well by a Rotherham defender.
FULL-TIME: ROTHERHAM UNITED 2 TOWN RESERVES 2
Town Reserves:
Damian Eastham, Tom Clarke, Dominik Werling, Michael Flynn, Chris Lucketti (c), David Unsworth (Leigh Franks 74), James Berrett, Ian Craney, Andy Booth (Tom Denton 62), Matt Jansen (Lewis Nightingale 62), Joe Skarz
Unused Subs: Liam Ridehalgh, Dan Codman
Rotherham United:
Steven Cann, Mark Lynch, Mitchell Austin (Stephen Brogan 60), Danny Harrison, Tom Burgin (Grant Darley 46), Andy Nicholas, Alex Rhodes, Peter Holmes, Ryan Taylor, Mark Burchill, James Dayton
Unused Subs: Omar Garcia, Jake Vernon, Reece Richardson
