ROTHERHAM WEST BROM GAYLE
WEST BROM fans sang “sign him up” as they saluted hat-trick hero Dwight Gayle and boss Darren Moore admitted: “You can understand why.”
Gayle took his tally to 13 goals since joining on loan from Newcastle in an August deal that sent Salomon Rondon in the opposite direction.
Moore ( below), whose side kept up the pressure on top two Norwich and Leeds, said: “Dwight is a potent striker, which his record shows. He illustrated here why we wanted him at the club.
“We’re delighted he’s with us. He scores goals but he does tremendous work for the team.”
On the prospect of making
Gayle’s move permanent next month, Moore added: “We’ve not even spoken about that. We’ve got him in a deal involving Salomon going the other way. We’re just focusing on the short term and being at the halfway mark in the season.”
Leicester loanee Harvey Barnes netted his ninth goal for the Baggies as they made it a magnificent seven games unbeaten with a fourth consecutive away win – the first time in more than 10 years they have achieved the latter feat. Rotherham’s misery was complete when Ryan Manning’s 76th-minute penalty – after Richie Towell was brought down by Tosin Adarabioyo – hit a post with celebratory music embarrassingly blaring out briefly over the public address system.
The Millers, counting down to their FA Cup third-round tie at Manchester City, lost for only the second time in 11 matches but have now won just once in their last 16 outings.
Boss Paul Warne said: “Could we have played any better? I’m not sure. “We missed a penalty, which sums up the day. I don’t think we deserved to lose 4-0 – it wasn’t like we took an absolute trouncing. This league is disgusting.”
The Baggies led in the sixth minute when Gayle was upended by Clark Robertson and drilled the freekick under the wall.
Rotherham’s Manning hit a post and Craig Dawson cleared off the line from Semi Ajayi, but Albion doubled their lead in the 20th minute when Jay Rodriguez’s effort hit the foot of a post and Barnes tucked away the rebound.
Gayle struck a minute from the break, glancing in Matt Phillips’ rightwing free-kick, and his treble arrived nine minutes into the second half when Marek Rodak spilled the ball and he guided home into the far corner.