Credit Graham Burrell
After three losses in five games, City will travel to Yorkshire this weekend to face Rotherham United, eager to return to winning ways and avoid a winless slump.
Rotherham United Form
Matt Hamshaw’s first full season in charge of Rotherham United began at home to newly promoted Port Vale, and a first-half brace from Sam Nombe helped them to a 2–1 opening-day win. Two defeats away from home, against Stevenage and Cardiff, were followed by a 2–2 draw with Wigan at the New York Stadium, leaving the Millers with four points from the opening dozen available.
A narrow 1–0 defeat to Yorkshire rivals Doncaster Rovers marked Rotherham’s third loss in six, but they bounced back by preserving their unbeaten home record with a 1–0 win over Exeter in their next outing. Despite the triumph over the Grecians, the Millers then suffered three straight defeats against Wimbledon, Stockport, and Mansfield, dropping them into the relegation places after 10 matches.
However, an upturn in form followed, as back-to-back victories over Northampton and Leyton Orient lifted the Millers out of the bottom four and into the comfort of mid-table. Their good form continued away at Barnsley, where a first win at Oakwell in over 63 years moved the Yorkshire side up to twelfth in the league table.
A 2-2 draw with Burton midweek extended the Millers’ unbeaten run to five games in League One.
Team News
Credit Graham Burrell
Rotherham United head into the weekend ravaged by injuries, with 14 players currently unavailable and several still side-lined. Centre-backs Zak Jules, Jamal Baptiste, and Sean Raggett are all doubts, while midfielders Josh Benson, Liam Kelly, Kian Spence, and Thomas Holmes continue to miss out. Jordan Hugill is not yet fully fit, and long-term absentees include Kion Etete, Marvin Kaleta, Joe Rafferty, Lenny Agbaire and Josh Kayode. Though Hamish Douglas and Reece James returned against Burton, defensive depth remains a major concern for the Millers.
City will be without Ben House for the trip to Rotherham, with the forward ruled out for at least another week. Long-term absentees Dom Jefferies and Jack Moylan remain side-lined, while Tendayi Darikwa is suspended following his red card at Salford. Freddie Draper has returned to training after missing out on our First Round FA Cup tie, and may feature as a substitute against the Millers this weekend.
Match Referee
REFEREE: ALEX CHILOWICZ
Linesmen: Alex Gray and Matt Archibald
Fourth Official: Declan Brown
Alex Chilowicz officiated his first EFL game midway through the 23/24 season, and since has refereed 34 games in the Football League. This season, Chilowicz has presided over seven league matches, with five taking place in the third tier. In those two games, he gave 19 free kicks, one yellow card and has awarded one spot kick.
Chilowicz has officiated one City match, a 1-1 draw with Reading at the Madjeski Stadium back on Good Friday in 2024.
Previous Meetings
Courtesy of Graham Burrell
It wouldn’t be unfair to say Rotherham United have been a bit of a bogey team for the Imps in recent times. City are winless in any of our last five meetings with the Millers, losing four and drawing one of these matches. Lincoln will be looking for a first victory at the New York stadium since 2019, when Tyler Walker and Harry Anderson gave us a 2-0 victory, just weeks after they dropped out of the Championship, and we climbed into League One. That was also our first win in Rotherham since 1957/58.
In our last meeting, an 85th-minute Joe Powell strike stole the points at Sincil Bank for Steve Evans’ side, as the Millers beat the Imps 1–0 on New Year’s Day.
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