And the gung-ho tactics worked as in the 79th minute Joe Skarz whipped in a cross that James Tavernier knocked down and there was Agard to slide the ball in from 12 yards.
18:10:00
2014 Millers Matches Advent Calendar - Number 1
It’s
Millers Time is paying tribute to a fantastic 2014 for Rotherham
with a footballing advent calendar.
In each
day of December, leading up to Christmas Day, we will look back at a game from
this year.
Behind
window number one is a League One victory over Port Vale.
This game
will be best remembered for the trailblazing manner in which boss Steve Evans
employed a 3-3-3 formation following the first-half dismissal of Richie Smallwood.
It was a
bold and fearless approach that was rewarded with three points and a 25th goal of the season for Kieran Agard.
The
Millers came into the game fresh from a Good Friday 6-4 thriller at Wolves.
Their play-off place was secured and they were running down their remaining
matches of the regular season waiting for the end-of-season showpiece to begin.
The hosts
had been bossing the game and wasted several chances to take the lead when
Smallwood saw red for a late tackle on Billy Knott on the stroke of half-time.
Instead
of Evans consolidating his side and playing for a point, the Scot brought on
Agard at the interval, followed 20 minutes by Alex Revell and went to a 3-3-3 formation.
And the gung-ho tactics worked as in the 79th minute Joe Skarz whipped in a cross that James Tavernier knocked down and there was Agard to slide the ball in from 12 yards.
The
Millers held on for a deserved win, which sent them third in League One, but
everyone was left talking about Evans’ tactical genius.
Rotherham: Collin, Tavernier, Morgan, Arnason, Skarz, Adams (Milsom
45), O’Connor (Revell 65), Smallwood, Pringle, Vuckic (Agard 45), Thomas
Attendance: 7,743
One to remember: Evans surprising everyone in the dressing room at half-time by going for such an attacking formation.
One to forget: Richie Smallwood's late challenge on Billy Knott earned him a red card which saw him miss three games, including the play-off semi-final first leg at Preston.