2018 EFL League One play-off final

Rotherham United had featured in two play-off finals prior to 2018, losing the 2010 Football League Two play-off final to Dagenham & Redbridge and the 2014 Football League One play-off final where they defeated Leyton Orient after a penalty shootout.[7][8] Shrewsbury Town had also played in two play-off finals, both unsuccessfully. They lost the 2007 Football League Two play-off final 3–1 to Bristol Rovers and then were defeated by Gillingham in the 2009 final.[6] Shrewsbury had also lost in two other finals hosted at Wembley Stadium, against Rotherham in the 1996 Football League Trophy Final and League Two team Lincoln City in the 2018 EFL Trophy Final, held the month prior to this play-off final.[6] During the regular season, both teams had won their away games, Shrewsbury winning 2–1 in November 2017 and Rotherham victorious 1–0 the following February.[9] The play-off final was Shrewsbury's 62nd competitive match of the season.[10] The on-loan striker Kieffer Moore was Rotherham's highest scorer during the season with thirteen goals, despite having left the club in January,[11] while Payne was Shrewsbury's top marksman with eleven.[1]

Shrewsbury Town had not played in the second tier of English football since their relegation from the 1988–89 Second Division, while Rotherham were attempting to restore their place in the EFL Championship having been relegated in the 2016–17 season.[10] The Shrewsbury Town manager Paul Hurst had spent almost his entire playing career at Rotherham, and coming into the game there was considerable speculation in the media over whether he would be taking the vacant position at Championship club Ipswich Town, regardless of the result of the play-off final.[10][12] Paul Warne, the Rotherham manager, had played alongside Hurst for the club for five years.[10]

Robert Jones was the referee for the match, with assistants Neil Davies and Dan Robathan, and Scott Duncan acted as the fourth official. Jones had officiated the regular season fixture between the clubs in which he sent off Shrewsbury captain Abu Ogogo.[13] Rotherham were considered to be favourites to win the match by bookmakers.[10][14] Shrewsbury Town's starting lineup was unchanged from the second leg of the semi-final win against Charlton with Morris starting as striker ahead of the top scorer Payne. Rotherham United made three changes to the team that defeated Scunthorpe, bringing Semi Ajayi, David Ball and Taylor back.[15]

Rotherham United kicked the game off at 3:03 p.m. in front of a Wembley crowd of 26,218 in hot conditions. After early pressing from Shrewsbury, Rotherham's Ball's cross went close to Newell before Ball himself was brought down by Toto Nsiala. Joe Mattock's challenge on Shaun Whalley drew another free kick, which came to nothing before, on 7 minutes, Rotherham were denied a penalty after the ball struck Nsiala's arm, instead earning a corner. Two minutes later, Omar Beckles brought Wood down in the Shrewsbury area to concede a penalty. Ball stepped up to take it but it was saved by Dean Henderson, the Shrewsbury goalkeeper who was on loan from Manchester United. On fourteen minutes, Nolan won a corner from which Alex Rodman's shot was blocked. Ball's shot ten minutes later was blocked and the resulting corner from Taylor was gathered by Henderson. Whalley received the first yellow card of the match on 27 minutes for a foul on Beckles.[10][16] In the 30th minute, Morris headed Nolan's cross past Rotherham's post, but a minute later Rotherham took the lead. Wood evaded Beckles for the first time in the match, and his header from a Newell corner beat Henderson. Shrewsbury's James Bolton was the second to receive a yellow card, in the 38th minute for a foul on Wood. Richie Towell's late first half shot from 30 yards (27 m) flew over the crossbar, before the half ended, with Rotherham leading 1–0.[16][17]

No changes to the teams were made during half time, and Shrewsbury got the second half underway. Carlton Morris' early cross found no-one before, on 54 minutes, the midfielder Bryn Morris went down with a hamstring injury after an aerial challenge with Josh Emmanuel. Unable to continue, Bryn Morris was replaced by the striker Payne, and four minutes later Shrewsbury equalised. A free kick from Whalley to Mat Sadler was passed back to Rodman who turned it past the Rotherham goalkeeper, Marek Rodák, to make it 1–1. Despite seeming to recover from an injury after a clash with Wood, Carlton Morris was replaced on 64 minutes by Lenell John-Lewis.[17][18] In the 69th minute, Vaulks' shot was saved by Henderson, before Rotherham made their first substitution of the afternoon with Caolan Lavery coming on to replace Ball. Newell's shot was straight at the goalkeeper, and Joe Riley was then brought on for Bolton. Lavery then took the ball in space but his shot curled wide of the Shrewsbury post. With fifteen minutes of regular time remaining, Ryan Williams was brought on for Taylor. Two chances were missed by Lavery before John-Lewis' shot went wide of Rodak's post. Michael Smith then saw his shot saved, and with chances at either end missed, the match went into five minutes of additional time. In the final moments, a Williams shot was saved by Henderson and the second half ended 1–1, sending the match into extra time.[19]

Four minutes into extra time, Newell struck a shot wide of the Shrewsbury post before a run from Ben Godfrey was blocked by Rotherham's Emmanuel. Rodman received treatment for a head wound before Newell's free kick was pushed away by Henderson. After thirteen minutes, Shrewsbury's captain Sadler was booked for a foul on Williams. A free kick from Newell was then headed in by Wood off the post to give Rotherham a 2–1 lead. Ajayi then blocked an attempt from Payne and Wood cleared, and the half came to an end. Five minutes into the second half, Newell was taken off and replaced by Anthony Forde. Despite chances for both sides, no further goals were scored and the match ended 2–1 to Rotherham.[10]