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Earlier in the campaign, Rotherham looked like they may emerge as dark horses for promotion after a solid start to life back in the second tier.
Those expectations have since been lowered, Matt Taylor only delivering 12 points from 11 games since replacing long-serving boss Paul Warne.
Nevertheless, occupying 16th place at this stage of the campaign is above what many club officials and supporters may have anticipated, and the former Exeter City man is in a position where he can move his team towards the mid-table spots.
Taylor and his squad would not have wanted the break for the World Cup, a 1-0 win at Sheffield United being followed by a draw in their second successive away game at Luton Town.
While those games showed that Rotherham have the potential to avoid continuing their yo-yoing trend between divisions, games such as the one on Saturday can make or break their season.
As far as Bristol City are concerned, Nigel Pearson will probably have been relieved for the mid-season reset after six matches without a win in all competitions.
That is extended to just two victories from 14 games since September 14, and it took two draws before the break to avoid dropping into the bottom three.
Those stalemates came against Middlesbrough and Watford, two improving sides under new management, leaving Pearson satisfied with the application of his players.
In the week that the Bulls lost their most famous ex-player, FA Cup legend Ronnie Radford – 50 years on from his iconic match-winning goal against Newcastle – it briefly looked like there might be some left-over magic in the air.
For seven minutes, the sixth-tier outfit led after Miles Storey’s goal against the team 81 places above them in the English football pyramid in League One.
But Pompey hit back, with Reeco Hackett quickly levelling before second-half goals from Colby Bishop and substitute Joe Pigott earned the twice FA Cup winners a safe passage to Monday’s second-round draw
Making their first trip to Edgar Street in 38 years, Pompey were given a good first-half workout by the fired-up hosts.
Although home keeper Dale Eve had to keep out Hackett’s left-foot curler bound for the top corner, Pompey had a first real scare when Bishop’s challenge on Hereford’s former million-pound marksman Tyrone Barnett in the visitors’ penalty box went unpunished.
And there was worse to follow for Pompey when Hereford took the lead on 26 minutes.
Sean Raggett played a loose pass inside to Hackett, who was immediately closed down and robbed by Storey – and the former Pompey player raced away down the inside-left channel before keeping his cool to nutmeg on-loan West Bromwich Albion keeper Josh Griffiths.
Fittingly, just two days on from the announcement of the sad passing of Hereford’s legendary number 11, their modern-day number 11 emulated his predecessor.
There had already been a minute’s silence, which cascaded into applause from the whole ground, followed by chants of ‘there’s only one Ronnie Radford’ when the clock showed 11 minutes.
But this goal was destined not to prove so famous.
Ronan Curtis headed down Connor Ogilvie’s far-post cross for Hackett to bring down and fire home coolly from six yards.
On 63 minutes, Portsmouth took the lead when, from Clark Robertson’s in-swinging right-foot corner from the left, Bishop timed his run to get there first and head his 10th goal of the season.
And Pigott wrapped up victory 10 minutes from time when, again from a corner by skipper Robertson, Bishop won the initial header before Pigott reacted sharpest to sidefoot home
Hereford FC boss Josh Gowling told BBC Sport:
“I’m really disappointed because we should have got something out of it, but goals change games – and the quality of the delivery they have changes games.
“In the first half we were excellent. We were in the ascendancy and they looked nervous.
“We were on top and looked like we could go on and win, but we’ve made one mistake, it has cost us a goal and that’s the difference in levels.
“We’ve given them a leg up and a little lift and you could see their performance raise after that.”
Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley told BBC Sport:
“I was so sad to hear the news about Ronnie Radford. He was such an iconic figure and he had that iconic moment. For a lot of people my age, his famous goal was their first memories of the FA Cup. But what a brilliant night to celebrate his life
Taylor must decide whether to adopt the same tactics which proved effective on the road against Sheffield United and Luton.
Brooke Norton-Cuffy is an alternative to Peter Kioso, depending on the status of the latter’s ankle injury, but the rest of the Rotherham team could stay the same.
Grant Hall and Shane Ferguson are among a number of players who were able to return to training during the World Cup break.
Barring any injury issues, Pearson could stick with the same Bristol City XI which started the goalless draw with Watford.
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Antoine Semenyo will only be named among the replacements at best after representing Ghana at the World Cup, the forward making substitute outings against Portugal and Uruguay.
Rotherham United possible starting lineup:
Johansson; Kioso, Peltier, Humphreys, Harding, Bramall; Wiles, Barlaser, Lindsay, Rathbone; Ogbene
Bristol City possible starting lineup:
O’Leary; Vyner, King, Pring; Weimann, Williams, James, Scott, Dasilva; Wells, Conway