Rotherham United vs West Bromwich Albion. Sky Bet Championship.
New York StadiumAttendance9,567.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Rotherham United and West Bromwich Albion at the New York Stadium on Tuesday | Grady Diangana and Jed Wallace seal win for Baggies.
Tuesday 12 December 2023 23:07, UK
West Brom got back to winning ways with two second-half strikes proving to be the difference in a 2-0 triumph at Rotherham.
The Baggies had suffered back-to-back defeats heading into this game but Grady Diangana's deflected strike and Jed Wallace's perfect free-kick ensured a very welcome three points for Carlos Corberan's side.
Rotherham welcomed new head coach Leam Richardson but they remain winless since October - a nine-game streak which has seen them drop to the foot of the Championship.
The first chance of the game fell the way of the visitors, with a low corner from Alex Mowatt finding its way through to Darnell Furlong who poked wide at the near post.
Rotherham's first opening came through the recalled Jordan Hugill but his floated header from Ollie Rathbone's free-kick was easily gathered by Alex Palmer.
That was as good as it got for the remainder of the half as West Brom kept the ball well but did very little with it.
The visitors finally showed some adventure early in the second half with a mazy dribble from skipper Conor Townsend leading to a cross to Jayson Molumby, but he miscued his volley off target.
They went in front on 54 minutes when a cross from Molumby was cleared hastily by Dexter Lembikisa and only as far as Diangana, whose low effort took a deflection to wrong-foot keeper Viktor Johansson.
Rotherham tried to respond quickly but Arvin Appiah lashed way off target after finding space around the edge of the box.
The visitors almost fashioned another chance through a succession of Furlong's long throws and then substitute Wallace whipped in a dangerous cross which had to be cleared to safety.
Richardson looked to his bench with the hopes of mustering a chance for a leveller in the closing stages.
The Millers' record signing Sam Nombe joined Hugill up front but it was Hakeem Odoffin who almost got on the end of a whipped cross from the right wing.
Rathbone also delivered a dangerous ball from a free-kick and it was almost met by Nombe's head before it drifted out to safety at the back post.
West Brom made sure of the points in the 90th minute with Wallace curling in an inch-perfect free-kick from the edge of the box.
Tom Eaves looked to grab a consolation for Rotherham in added time but his header from Lembikisa's cross was blocked by former Miller Semi Ajayi.
Rotherham's Leam Richardson:
"It is exactly the same challenge as I thought it was when I came in. It's one of the top leagues in Europe. West Brom will be right up there. They have had two shots on target and they have both gone in. We are in a really challenging league. The first goal was a mistake and a technical error, which happens. We won't dwell on it. We have a group of staff and players who want to get better.
"The work was already done (before this match). You can only commend the effort and endeavour out there. There are always areas where we want to improve. Collectively we can get better. I have only been here minutes so it's important that you listen and don't only talk. We are where we are. We don't look at the past. I've got ideas about how I want to play. That won't happen overnight. It will also take one or two transfer windows."
West Brom's Carlos Corberan:
"I knew how tough this game would be in its competitiveness. We knew they would play long balls to create individual duels and challenges. We needed to be strong on the set-pieces. They are strong and they have the size.
"I watched Leeds' game here when they drew and Swansea won here by one goal against 10 men for 70 minutes. I knew how uncomfortable the game would be. I think what's important is that the team found better solutions from the situation."
