MATT FINDS GLOSS AFTER MILLERS ROUT

BRENTFORD ROTHERHAM

Vaulks 90

5

Maupay 4, 60, Canos 44, Watkins 48, Macleod 89

1

JOE MATTOCK promised fearful Rotherham supporters there will be no repeat of their season from hell after a nightmare return to the Championship.

Wembley winners in May in the League One Play-off Final, the Millers were given a reality check by rampant Brentford which set alarm bells ringing with fans.

Neal Maupay scored twice and Sergi Canos, Ollie Watkins and Lewis Macleod were also on target to leave Mattock and his team-mates, including Matt Palmer (above), shellshocked.

Will Vaulks’ late goal was little consolation for Paul Warne’s men.

Rotherham finished bottom the last time they were in this division in 2017, with just five wins and a goal difference of -58.

But defender Mattock said: “We’ve got to believe in ourselves a bit more. We’re a good side. The side we have now is a lot better than the one we had before. The lads are much more willing to learn. Our season starts now.

“It was a bit of a body shock. The gaffer said the Championship has raised the bar. It’s a reality check. We’ve got to move on.

“We’ve better characters in the team than last time we were in the division. We’ve a good strong bunch of lads who stick together.”

It was Brentford’s biggest opening-day win since 1994 and showed why they will be gunning for promotion after finishing ninth last term.

But boss Dean Smith is already fighting to keep players, with Bournemouth and Leicester in for defender Chris Mepham and a “distracted” Ryan Woods left out after a bid from Swansea. Smith said: “He’s a bit stressed.”