Josh Sheehan delivered the festive feel-good with a late Boxing Day winner to spark Wanderers’ Christmas celebrations, writes Pete Oliver.
Sheehan’s injury-time strike completed a first-ever EFL double for the Welsh maestro on a landmark afternoon. And it also banked a crucial three points in the promotion race after it looked as though Rotherham had spoiled the party.
A 90th-minute leveller from the penalty spot to cancel out Sheehan’s opener seemed to have denied Steven Schumacher’s men an eighth home league success of the campaign.
But an inspired Sheehan had different ideas and after driving the Whites forward one last time, the midfielder met Amario Cozier-Duberry’s cut-back with a cool finish to add another big late goal to Wanderers’ collection in a season shaping up nicely as the half-way stage approaches.
The victory that lifted Wanderers up to fourth place in the table was no more than they deserved as they extended their home unbeaten home record.
But, again, they had to do it the hard way as Rotherham’s late pressure paid off with a penalty converted by Sam Nombe after he had been fouled by Cyrus Christie as the Whites attempted to alleviate the pressure.
Nombe and fellow substitute Jordan Hugill had led the Millers’ attempted late fightback after they had trailed to Sheehan’s first goal of the season just before half-time.
Hugill was denied by one outstanding save from Teddy Sharman-Lowe but after he was unable to keep out Nombe’s spot-kick it needed Sheehan to convert the Whites’ last big chance as their growing self-belief again paid off.
Having lost for the first time in eight league games at Wycombe last weekend, Schumacher made four changes to his starting line-up – including a re-shuffled attack.
Marcus Forss returned to lead the line, with Joel Randall, getting a first league start since early November, in behind to try and provide the creative spark.
He did that well, but one late chance got away from him after Sam Dalby’s flick-on had Randall in the clear with just over 10 minutes to go.
Max Conway saw an effort blocked on the line in one of several dangerous forways forward from the full-back, who also made some key interventions at the other end, while Forss went close from Randall’s pass and widemen Cozier-Duberry and Thierry Gale kept threating the goal after the break.
None of them were able to add to Sheehan’s first goal of the season, though, steered home in first-half stoppage time as Wanderers’ pressure finally told.
Randall had earlier gone close with an effort well saved by Cameron Dawson, who kept his side in it with another excellent stop from Gale's deflected effort and a block from Cozier-Duberry which saw the ball loop up to Randall, whose header was cleared off the line.
Rotherham had their moments on the break, captain Joe Powell volleying an early chance over the top, as they looked to avoid a fourth straight loss.
But staying in the contest for 90 minutes ultimately wasn't enough as Wanderers' goal power once more got them over the line as Sheehan added a late winner to those recently scored against Exeter, Cardiff and Huddersfield to make it to the perfect start to a vital four-game festive run.
Wanderers: Sharman-Lowe; Christie, Toal, Johnston, Conway; Sheehan, Erhahon (Simons 81); Cozier-Duberry, Randall (Dempsey 81), Gale (Burstow 86); Forss (Dalby 72). Substitutes: Miller, Forino, Cissoko.
Booked: Conway
Rotherham United: Dawson, Jules, James, Powell, Martha, Baptiste, Yearwood (Hugill 53) Hall, Douglas (Holmes 81), Etete (Nombe 53), Gore. Substitutes: Cann, Rafferty, Kelly, Raggett.
Booked: Baptiste, Martha
Referee: Elliot Bell
Attendance: 23,416 (1,017 away)