Aston Villa 2 Rotherham United 0 '“ Hunt for away inspiration goes on for Millers

Rotherham have got it sussed in the Championship when they are at home, but they are still looking for answers on the road.
Richard Wood closes down Aston Villa's Tammy AbrahamRichard Wood closes down Aston Villa's Tammy Abraham
Richard Wood closes down Aston Villa's Tammy Abraham

Three 1-0 wins on home soil have suggested the Millers might do OK in this division, but they are going to have find a way to pick up points on the road if they have any hope of keeping their heads above water.

Their second-half performance at Aston Villa showed they are getting closer, and might easily have left with a point, but the 2-0 defeat extends their winless run on the road in the second tier to 29 games.

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Having gone the entire 2016-17 campaign without an away win, they have now started with four defeats from four on their return to the Championship.

Goals from Tammy Abraham and Yannick Bolasie won it for Villa, but the Millers were left to rue a couple of glaring chances when the game was at 1-0.

Of course on paper a defeat at Villa, who were masterminded by a player Tottenham were ready to spend close to £30million on in Jack Grealish, should be standard, but Rotherham have got to win points somewhere.

Things could have been different had the Millers been able to make a dream start, which they threatened when Richie Towell and Kyle Vassell combined, but the latter's low shot fizzed wide.

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Grealish began to pull the strings for Villa and after he provided Jonathan Kodjia with a great chance, he created the home side's opener in the 27th minute when he set Kodjia free and the striker teed up Abraham to slot home.

Conor Hourihane then sent a curling free-kick just wide as the Millers were able to get to half-time just one behind.

And after the restart they contained Steve Bruce's side much better and then had a spell that saw them create two fine chances.

First Jon Taylor could only head into the side-netting from Will Vaulks' cross and then Richard Wood glanced another Vaulks' delivery wide.

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And in age-old style for the Millers on the road, they were punished as Villa wrapped up the game in the final 10 minutes.

Ahmed Elmohamady crossed for Bolasie and he was not going to miss as it ended in a fashion Millers fans have seen so many times before.

It's back on the road at the weekend at Nottingham Forest and Warne will be hoping things might be different.

Aston Villa: Nyland, Elmohamady, Chester, Jedinak, Hutton, El Ghazi (Bolasie 72), Hourihane, McGinn, Grealish, Kodjia (Adomah 81), Abraham (Bree 85). Subs not used: Bunn, Tuanzebe, Whelan, Bjarnason.

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Rotherham: Rodak, Vyner, Ajayi, Wood, Mattock, Vassell (Taylor 58), Vaulks, Towell, Manning (Proctor 68), Williams (Forde 76), Smith. Subs not used: Price, Jones, Palmer, Wiles.

Referee: Andy Davies

Attendance: 27,991