Arsenal scrape past Rotherham

Arsenal 1 Rotherham 1 (after extra time Arsenal win 9-8 on penalties)

Jeremie Aliadiere put Arsenal ahead after 12 minutes but Darren Byfield struck with just 35 seconds of normal time remaining to force extra time.

Rotherham keeper Mike Pollitt was sent off for deliberate handball during the first extra period but as penalties became inevitable, both teams scored eight successful kicks, before Chris Swailes was denied by Graham Stack and Wiltord made no mistake.

With Arsene Wenger resting all of those who started last Sunday’s Premiership game at Charlton, he fielded an experimental line-up including four debutants.

French international Sylvain Wiltord provided the touch of class which opened up Rotherham’s defence. His neat turn foxed the visitors back four and Kanu slipped the ball to the lurking figure of young Frenchman Jeremie Aliadiere, who converted with a minimum of fuss.

With 35 seconds of normal time remaining Rotherham broke through with Byfield powering home a close-range header.

Chris Swailes gave Rotherham the initiative in the shoot-out, with Montgomery then rising to the occasion as he flung himself to his right to deny Wiltord.

Captain Martin McIntosh put Rotherham 2-1 up but Edu gave Arsenal hope as he converted his spot kick before substitute John Mullin struck the outside of the post and Aliadiere levelled it up at 2-2.

Rotherham’s Julian Baudet and Cygan both traded successful spot kicks before Byfield missed.

Both sides scored four kicks each before the keepers became involved and Montgomery’s successful shot was followed by Stack also scoring.

But Swailes’ effort was saved easily by Stack before Wiltord converted.

ARSENAL: Stack, Tavlaridis, Clichy, Cygan, Hoyte (Spicer 117), Fabregas Soler (Owusu-Abeyie 85), Aliadiere, Edu, Thomas (Smith 73), Wiltord, Kanu.

ROTHERHAM: Pollitt, Shaun Barker, Swailes, McIntosh, Richard Barker, Sedgwick (Montgomery 101), Robinson (Mullin 93), Talbot (Baudet 105), Hurst, Byfield, Warne.