RESULT! Hat-trick hero Jota is the Bees’ knees

JOTA struck twice to complete a late hat-trick as Brentford broke Rotherham’s hearts.

The Spanish winger’s treble and a Nico Yennaris strike ensured three points that looked unlikely with three minutes to go.

Anthony Forde thought he had salvaged only the Millers’ second away point of the season with a spectacular 30-yard strike in the 87th minute after fellow substitute Aymen Belaid had wiped out Jota’s 13th-minute opener.

But Jota grabbed his second and third goals in stoppage time.

He opened the scoring when he latched on to Florian Jozefzoon’s cut-back and lashed a fierce, low drive into the far corner.

Belaid headed home Forde’s right-wing cross after 67 minutes but Yennaris edged the Bees ahead again when he slammed home Ryan Woods’ cross.

Forde found the bottom corner with a sizzling drive but Jota made it 3-2 with a penalty after a through ball was handled by Semi Ajayi, and then made sure of the match ball with almost the last kick of the game. Romaine Sayers sent Sergi Canos free and his low drive was parried by Lewis Price but dropped kindly for Jota to bundle home.

Relieved Brentford boss Dean Smith said: “Jota has saved it for us late on.

“He is a terrific player and I have not worked with a player with such good balance.

“When he runs with the ball he is a joy to watch and he has a wand of a left foot but since he came back his work ethic has been great.”

Rotherham caretaker boss Paul Warne said: “I was very proud of my team because last week we were abysmal.

“I thought their third was a penalty but it was unlucky – we must have run over a cat with the team bus.”