Rotherham United 3-1 Wigan Athletic: Proctor inspires Cup victory

Michael Proctor returned to inspire Rotherham United to a first round EFL Cup win over Wigan.
Jamie ProctorJamie Proctor
Jamie Proctor

Proctor scored in each half in what was his first outing in almost a year, owing to a cruciate ligament injury.

Proctor’s brace sandwiched Semi Ajayi’s header.

Paul Warne made nine alterations to the team which beat Ipswich three days prior. Only Ajayi and Zak Vyner kept their spots.

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Wigan made eight alterations. Understandably the vast amount of changes affected the early flow of the match and indeed much of the game resembled a training session.

Academy graduate Ben Wiles, making only his second senior start, showed impressive glimpses but it was Proctor who opened the scoring ten minutes before the break. A free-kick into the box was chested down and thumped home by Proctor.

Ajayi then doubled the Millers’ lead when he headed home from a corner after a well-worked routine before Wigan’s Gary Roberts gave the hosts a scare when he clipped the bar in first half stoppage time.

Shaun MacDonald’s effort cleared the bar after the break but Proctor made it 3-0 on 64 minutes when he got on the end of an inswinging cross to glance a header home.

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James Vaughan planted a header beyond Price to keep the contest alive on 74 minutes and could have reduced the arrears even further only to see his second header flash wide.

Rotherham: Price, Vyner, Robertson, Raggett, Jones, Forde, Ajayi (Palmer 69), Wiles, Williams (Taylor 75), Ball, Proctor (Vassell 82.)

Unused substitutes: Bilboe, McGinley, Hinds, Newell

Wigan: Jones, Naismith, Kipre, Bruce, Lopes, Connolly (Weir 89), MacDonald, Walker (Gelhardt 73), McManaman (Cole 63), Roberts, Vaughan.

Unused substitutes: Evans, Merrie, Golden, Long.

Referee: Peter Bankes.

Attendance: 3,017 (222.)