Rotherham 2, Bury 2

GOALS from Tony Ellis and Rob Matthews earned the Shakers a share of the spoils in a low-key final pre-season match.

As mentioned elsewhere Bury's preparations for the game were hardly ideal and the 53 minute delay only served to make it an even more tame affair.

Manager Neil Warnock took the opportunity to rest a handful of first choice players with Dean Keily, Chris Lucketti, Nick Daws and Lennie Johnrose all sitting it out.

Despite their rushed arrival the Shakers looked two divisions better than their hosts in the opening exchanges with a midfield duo of Tony Rigby and Mark Patterson well in control.

Andy Preece fired just over former Shaker Mike Pollitt's bar as early as the second minute and the big striker almost pressurised Vance Warner into an own goal when the defender tried to intercept a Matthews cross but Pollitt reacted well to save.

As the Shakers continued to make their difference in status tell Matthews saw a superb volley flash inches wide of the post after Dean Barrick had picked him out with a superb ball but perversely the best chance of the half fell to the Millers when, following a Steve Thompson free-kick, Lee Glover fed Jason White who ballooned his shot high over the bar with only trialist 'keeper Patrick Kenny to beat.

Kenny, whose encouraging performance in last Tuesday's Marsden Cup clash against Wigan earned him another run out, showed just why a number of Division One teams are interested in him with a string of fine saves, particularly in the second half.

But there was little he could do when the home side took the lead after 36 minutes when former Bolton favourite Thompson's 25 yard free-kick evaded the wall and found the bottom corner of the net. The goal heralded the Millers' best spell of the match and Thompson twice went close with long distance efforts.

However, two minutes into stoppage time the Shakers were level thanks to Tony Ellis who, after Preece had flicked on a Matthews cross, used his strength to hold off the challenge of Warner before firing low past Pollitt.

Three minutes from the restart the Shakers went ahead after a fine move that went the length of the field.

John Foster picked up the ball close to his own penalty area and raced over the halfway line, he fed Patterson who in turn released Matthews wide on the left.

Matthews cut inside, made progress into the box before coolly placing an angled drive past Pollitt.

A reckless challenge by Foster on Andy Roscoe resulted in him being immediately substituted by Warnock who reacted quickly to diffuse a potential flashpoint, then after 68 minutes Laurent D'Jaffo took the place of Ellis.

But it was rookie 'keeper Kenny who was to shine in the later stages as the sloppy Shakers showed signs of letting it slip.

A mix up between the 'keeper and Steve Redmond allowed Glover the chance to get in a shot that Kenny blocked well then the youngster did superbly to palm away an effort that Chris Swailes deflected goalwards.

It came as no surprise when Rotherham equalised seven minutes from time and it was naive defending that allowed substitute Danny Hudson to run unchallenged into the box and fire past Kenny.

The home side might have snatched it in stoppage time when a slack pass from former Rotherham man Barrick let in Glover but Kenny again proved up to the task with a good save.

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