Frecklington treble is catalyst for Millers
ROTHERHAM UNITED coasted to a third straight league victory after brushing aside hapless Walsall.
Four of the Millers’ five goals came in the first half and skipper Lee Frecklington stole the plaudits with his maiden career hattrick.
The first 45 minutes were as one-sided an affair as you are likely to see.
Frecklington opened the scoring after 13 minutes with a sumptuous volley before he dashed down the other end and cleared Amadou Bakayoko’s goalbound effort off the line.
And from that the hosts set off on a counter that ended with Jon Taylor stooping to head home a second. The third arrived shortly when Taylor tapped in at the second attempt.
Frecklington then notched his second on 31 minutes to complete a sorry first half for the hapless visitors.
Walsall reduced the deficit just after the restart through Bakayoko, who was lucky to escape a second yellow card moments earlier.
Kieffer Moore almost stole a fifth but smacked a shot wide.
The Millers’ outstanding performer Frecklington had the last word. The United captain rifled home inside the area to complete a tremendous night’s work. DEFENDER ROMAIN Vincelot was Bradford City’s hero with a stoppage-time equaliser at Oxford last night.
He headed home in the fourth minute of time added on after Oxford had recovered from trailing at half-time to lead 2-1.
Wes Thomas equalised for the U’s on 74 minutes when he followed up to score after keeper Colin Doyle could not hold Gino van Kessel’s defected shot from the edge of the area.
And with three minutes to go, midfielder Joe Rothwell broke clear on the left to shoot low past Doyle to give Oxford the lead.
This was after winger Omari Patrick had returned to the Bantams team with a superb goal. Patrick came into Stuart McCall’s side to give leading scorer Dominic Poleon a breather. And after the Bantams had weathered some strong Oxford pressure through the first half, Patrick collected a pass from Nicky Law on 30 minutes and curled a superb 20-yarder into the top corner.
Patrick almost got a second goal when he shot against the bar from 12 yards after Alex Gillied had beaten his man and crossed.
The draw maintained freescoring Bradford’s fine form after they had struck three goals in each of their previous three league games. DONCASTER ROVERS somehow snatched defeat from the jaws at victory after an incredible finish at Spotland.
Rovers looked on their way to only a second league win of the campaign when John Marquis fired home their first goal in four games. But Dale hit back with two injury time goals to seal their first league win of the season.
Marquis notched the opener for Rovers on 74 minutes.
From a corner, Williams’s shot bounced back off a post and there was Marquis to tap home.
Rovers had earlier seen goalkeeper Ian Lawlor save a controversial penalty from Steven Davies. Once Marquis’s goal went in the visitors looked home and hosed going into the last few minutes.