Josh Ayres celebrates his goal for Rotherham United against Manchester City Under-21s. Picture: Jim Brailsfordplaceholder image
Josh Ayres celebrates his goal for Rotherham United against Manchester City Under-21s. Picture: Jim Brailsford
ROTHERHAM United marched into the knockout stages of the Vertu Trophy on a night when young centre-forward Josh Ayres marked his first start for the club with one of the goals in a stunning comeback.
But Matt Hamshaw's League One men do love a fightback in this tournament and a rapid four-goal blast following the break at AESSEAL New York Stadium gave them a comfortable passage out of Northern Group E.
Earlier this month, they'd been trailing 2-0 at home to Oldham Athletic and gone on to finish 3-2 victors.
The result made it five wins in succession and six games unbeaten for a club that is really gathering momentum, and the highlight of the evening was the rangy Ayres' salmon-like leap and deft header that brought the equaliser.
The home side fell behind after only three minutes when Mahamadou Sangare somehow found the net at Ted Cann's expense, and all Hamshaw's shadow side could manage in response in a tame first quarter of an hour was an Ayres shot easily gathered by Spike Brits.
Cann was playing for only the second time since his summer arrival and won't have been happy with how he let the ball slip past him when there appeared to be no room at his near post.
The tie had attracted only a small crowd and large parts of New York remained closed. Rotherham fans were housed in the East Stand closest to the kop and around 100 travelling supporters were further down the same touchline.
Neither set of followers had much to cheer as sights of goal remained a premium as the first half progressed.
The visitors had looked sharper and more nimble than the Millers and Sangare rattled the bar before Ayres came agonisingly when his close-range effort came back off the post.
The home team were beginning to impose themselves and a Jordan Hugill header from Liam Kelly's supply flashed just wide.
However, it wasn't to last and City increased their advantage in the 36th minute.
The feet of Sean Raggett had denied Breckin and Cann had redeemed himself with a save from Sangare, but the goalkeeper could do nothing about Charlie Gray's bending strike into the far corner.
Rotherham had turned to academy product Ayres as they rested a number of their established players and there was also youth on the bench in Hamish Douglas, James Clarke and Kane Richardson.
City's line-up included Jaden and Reigan Heskey, sons of former Liverpool and England centre-forward Emile, and Breckin whose father is former Millers defender Ian.
Ar'Jany Martha came on at the break to give the Millers some much-needed spark and he almost made an instant impact, hooking an attempt just the wrong side of a post.
Much better was to come in the 54th minute when Dru Yearwood was felled in the box and Shaun McWilliams dispatched a clinical penalty into the roof of the net.
Just three minutes later, Ayres' big moment arrived and the Millers' were level, and, not longer afterwards, they went in front when Joe Powell took aim and buried a low shot.
Then Martha produced a bullet cross which was matched by Raggett's bullet header and the tie was over. Four goals had come in 24 minutes, and a flat first half had given way to fantastic second one.
Nobody will remember it more than the Man-of-the-Match beanpole in the number-41 shirt.
Rotherham (3-1-4-2): Ted Cann; Denzel Hall (Joe Powell 61), Sean Raggett, Jamal Baptiste; Liam Kelly (Hamish Douglas 79); Jack Holmes (James Clarke 76), Shaun McWilliams (62), Dru Yearwood, Reece James; Josh Ayres, Jordan Hugill (Ar'Jany Martha H-T). Subs not used: Cameron Dawson, Kane Richardson.
City (4-1-3-2): Spike Brits; Dante Headley (Kian Noble 79), Harrison Parker, Stephen Mfuni, Kaden Braithwaite (Seb Naylor 79); Charlie Gray; Ryan McAidoo (Emilio Lawrence 62), Jaden Heskey, Kian Breckin (Justin Oboavwoduo 70); Mahamadou Sangare, Reigan Heskey (Ashton Muir 62). Subs not used: Jack Wint, Femi Fapetu.
Goals: McWilliams pen 54, Ayres 57, Powell 67, Raggett 69 (Rotherham); Sangare 3, Gray 36 (City)
Referee: Jamie O'Connor (Derbyshire)
Attendance: 1,415 (103)
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