Promotion glory for Rotherham
Dream play-off final for sleepwalker Wood
RICHARD WOOD gave Rotherham the mother of all wake-up calls by completing an unprecedented hat-trick of yo-yo clubs.
Millers captain Wood is a selfconfessed sleepwalker. But when his head hits the pillow from now on, he will only dream about the day he scored twice at Wembley.
In front of just 26,218 fans, the lowest-ever attendance for a third tier play-off final, Rotherham returned to the Championship with Wigan and Blackburn – the first time all three relegated clubs have bounced back at the first attempt.
Barry Chuckle – one of TV’s Chuckle Brothers – was in the sparse crowd, but he would have approved of the Millers rebounding from one division to another: To me, to you, to me, to you. But spare a thought for Shrewsbury, whose second trip to Wembley in seven weeks ended, like the first, in defeat.
Rotherham boss Paul Warne said: “I call Woody our wrecking ball because every time the ball goes into the box, he is prepared to get his head on it.
“When his second goal went in, I looked over at his wife and she was in shock. He was limping just before that, but then he managed to run 60 yards to celebrate.
“We’ve had a sleep doctor in to help some of our players, but luckily I’ve never had to share a room with Woody.” Wood, who had never scored twice in a game before, said: “I saw my children crying up in the stands – that’s how much it means and I’m just pleased to do it for them.”
Rotherham should have been ahead inside nine minutes when Omar Beckles put Wood in a headlock, only for keeper Dean Henderson to beat out David Ball’s spot-kick. Wood, however, escaped Beckles’ attention after 32 minutes to head the Millers in front from Joe Newell’s corner.
The Shrews were level from a superb free-kick after the break, Matt Sadler’s cushioned pass from Shaun Whalley’s set-piece setting up Alex Rodman from close range.
The game went to extratime but Shrewsbury had nothing left after Wood arrived at the far post to prod in a free-kick off the post.