Rotherham 1, City 2

Mystic Peter Taylor saw this one coming.

The Bantams boss was so confident of a win at the Don Valley Stadium that he texted Julian Rhodes on Friday night with a score prediction.

“I told the chairman we were going to win 2-1,” smiled Taylor, “and he should stick a tenner on it.”

Taylor remained just as convinced of victory even when Adam Le Fondre looked to have pulled the rug away with a penalty in added time.

The manager was unruffled and when Luke O’Brien harried City’s tenth corner a minute later, Taylor reminded the rest of the away bench of his pre-match premonition.

James Hanson’s forehead bore that out and Taylor was able to enjoy his third win in the last four outings.

He may not be so precise with lottery numbers but the new boss is getting it spot on with matches.

Luck doesn’t come into it. Saturday’s success was the result of the shape and organisation that Taylor drums into his teams.

It was no fluke that the winner came from a corner – that’s an area of City’s game that has really picked up since he took the helm.

Suddenly they look a threat from every set-piece, with full backs Simon Ramsden and Robbie Threlfall producing quality delivery. For starters, the crosses are beating the first defender at the near post – a bugbear with so many fans for so long.

Taylor’s sides have the reputation for a more direct approach and City’s average height jumps up with nearly every loan capture, although 6ft 7in giant Luke Oliver remained on the bench in Sheffield.

But the latest win was down to far more than being physically strong. City also played some good football on a pitch that looked like it had been copied from the Moon.

The wide-open appearance of the Don Valley, where the crowd seem miles away, adds to the lunar feel of the place.

And one half of the pitch – known locally as the U2 end because it was a concert from the Irish rockers that wrecked it – makes Valley Parade look a bowling green in comparison.

It cancels out home advantage totally and Ronnie Moore has banned his players from complaining any more. But they could have no argument with the way City went about their business.

Taylor is not one for hyperbole and he, too, had played down the significance of the surface. He said: “It’s a little bit difficult.

“But if you’re not in the Premier League or Championship, a lot of pitches in the country are looking like that because of the weather we’ve had. You’ve just got to get on with it and that’s what the lads did.”

Taylor did not feel that Mark McCammon could cope with a third start in a week after his lengthy absence from first-team football, so Michael Flynn was restored to the attacking role he had performed so well at Rochdale.

That freed up a midfield spot for Adam Bolder, who quickly set about his work in a tigerish manner. He kept things simple and did not waste a pass – in short, he looked a player from at least one level above.

Alongside him, Lee Bullock was back to his ferreting best and between them, they gave Rotherham no time to breathe. Nicky Law, in particular, looked like he did not really want to be out there.

The former Bantam had tested Matt Glennon with the first shot of the day but that was his only real contribution. It came as no surprise when he was hauled off for the first of Rotherham’s three substitutions.

Taylor, in contrast, kept all his options on the bench. The game-plan was to bring McCammon on later but, with City looking comfortable, the boss felt no changes were needed.

City enjoyed plenty of possession in the first half, with Luke O’Brien a magnet for the ball. He’s no natural midfielder but you could not knock his effort on the left flank and he kept running at defenders.

Steve Williams and Hanson missed good chances, the striker especially with a wild blaze over the bar from another threatening corner.

But Flynn had to be on his toes at the other end to deny Tom Pope on the line before Nick Fenton nodded against the City bar.

Having attacked the “good half” of the pitch first, City now faced plotting their way through the Somme. But they restarted in the same positive fashion with Hanson, Flynn and O’Brien all having a go.

Their first goal came on the hour and was a precise work. Hanson flicked on Ramsden’s clearance, Evans outpaced Gavin Gunning and cut back intelligently into Flynn’s path for a sweep into the far corner.

It was the Welshman’s first appearance on the scoresheet since netting against the Millers at home three months ago.

That goal, ultimately, meant nothing but City were determined not to let this one slip away.

Rotherham, the feisty Kevin Ellison apart, had created nothing but the arrival of Marcus Marshall for Law soon changed that.

He had three headers at goal in one mad scramble; the first cleared off the line by Threlfall, the last flying over from point-blank range.

Then Marshall teed up Ryan Harrison for a sitter which he scooped into the running track in front of the gloating City fans.

But City’s resistance was broken in the second minute of stoppage time, Williams giving away a soft penalty with a handball in the corner of the box.

Le Fondre duly blasted in his 25th goal of the campaign and honours were even. Or at least, that’s what the home crowd thought.

But Rotherham’s point was gone in 60 seconds. Hanson peeled away from the far post and his header drifted across the packed goalmouth and into the corner.

Attendance: 4,185