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Leyton Orient
League One Playoffs | Final
May 25, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Rotherham logo

2-2

Odubajo (35'), Cox (38')
FT(HT: 2-0)
Revell (55', 60')
Rotherham win 4-3 on penalties

Rotherham United earn promotion into Championship

Rotherham United beat Leyton Orient in a tense penalty shootout at Wembley this afternoon to win the League One playoffs and earn promotion into the Championship.

Rotherham United have beaten Leyton Orient in a tense penalty shootout at Wembley this afternoon to win the League One playoffs and earn promotion into the Championship.

Players of Rotherham United celebrate victory during the Sky Bet League One Playoff Final between Leyton Orient and Rotherham United at Wembley Stadium on May 25, 2014© Getty Images

First-half goals from Moses Odubajo and Dean Cox had put Orient in pole position to seal a return to England's second tier after a 32-year exile.

However, a second-half double from Alex Revell forced the clash into extra time and then penalties as Chris Dagnall missed the decisive spot kick to seal the Millers' back-to-back promotion glory.

It was United who fashioned the first goalscoring opportunity as Wes Thomas fired straight into the arms of goalkeeper Jamie Jones from six yards out after nine minutes.

Both sides traded blows without finding a knockout until 10 minutes before the break, as Odubajo's ferocious volley from outside the area put the Londoners ahead.

Orient then capitalised on the punch-drunk state of the Yorkshire outfit, with Odubajo turning provider to set up Cox for a simple tap-in to double the advantage minutes later.

Ben Pringle volleyed narrowly over the bar in the closing stages of the half to give Orient a warning of just how tenuous a two-goal lead is - and it proved a sign of things to come.

Rotherham emerged from the break reinvigorated and halved the deficit 10 minutes after the restart through Revell, who capitalised on Jones's failed punch to prod the ball into an empty net in scrappy fashion.

United then fed their London counterparts a dose of their own medicine by scoring again in quick succession, as Revell completed the comeback in fine fashion by firing an audacious volley over the head of Jones from well outside the area.

Chances were at a premium throughout the additional 30-minute period, meaning that the sides were forced to duke it out via penalties to determine who won promotion.

Lee Frecklington was the first to buckle under the pressure as Orient boasted a 2-1 lead. However, another missed chance from Mathieu Baudry handed the advantage to Rotherham.

James Tavernier scored United's last to pile the pressure on Dagnall, and the striker then failed to beat Adam Collin from 12 yards as Steve Evans's side won promotion back into the Championship for the first time since 2005.

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Leyton Orient manager Russell Slade during the Sky Bet League One match between Leyton Orient and MK Dons at The Matchroom Stadium on October 12, 2013
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