Big Ben strikes twice for Rovers

ROTHERHAM

BEN BRERETON DIAZ made it a miserable afternoon for Matt Taylor but an enjoyable one for the new Millers manager’s dad.

Taylor senior is an ardent Rovers fan and

Rotherham’s boss just had to grin and bear it.

He said: “In the first half we were more than in the game but we needed to make one of our moments count.”

Brereton Diaz, who has attracted interest from Everton, West Ham and a number of European clubs, looks determined to help Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side have a say in the promotion shake-up.

A confident double undermined Rotherham, who didn’t possess the clinical touch in front of goal.

Delighted Rovers boss Tomasson said: “It was a great performance, a great result. I asked for a reaction from the players after Cardiff. The players gave me that reaction, it was extremely good.”

Rovers struck from the penalty spot following their first meaningful assault on goal. Rotherham’s Oliver

Brereton Diaz 21 pen, 63, Szmodics 75

Rathbone was denied by a smart Thomas Kaminski save and Tom Eaves fired against a post.

But when Grant Hall tugged back Tyler Morton in the area, up stepped Brereton Diaz to register his sixth goal of the season.

His seventh arrived courtesy of a brilliant cross from Sammie Szmodics, who later made it 3-0 with a comfortable finish.

Tomasson said: “It’s a very inconsistent league.

“Sometimes it’s a bit of a nightmare for me and the players and the fans. But I enjoy it, it’s a yo-yo, a bit of a rollercoaster in that way.”

BLACKBURN: Kaminski 7; Hyam 6, Ayala 6, S Wharton 7; Hedges 6, Morton 7 (Dack (87) 6), Travis 7, Pickering 6 (Mola (80) 6); Szmodics 7 (A Wharton (87) 6); Gallagher 6 (Hirst (80) 6), Brereton Diaz 8 (Dolan (73) 6)

ROTHERHAM: Johansson 6; Harding 6, Hall 6, Peltier 6 (Ferguson (76) 6); Norton-cuffy 6 (Humphreys (70) 6), Wiles 7, Barlaser 7, Rathbone 7 (Lindsay (80) 6), Bramall 6; Eaves 6 (Washington (70) 6), Ogbene 7

STAR MAN: Ben Brereton Diaz. Rovers’ red hot Chile hitman sizzles on.

REF: Oliver Langford 7

■ Chelsea ended a run of four Premier League games without victory against Wolves (D3 L1) since a 2-0 win in July 2020. ■ Wolves are winless in nine league away games (D2 L7), their longest such sequence without winning since a run of 10 in January 2012. ■ Chelsea are unbeaten in eight league home games, winning three in a row at the Bridge for the first time since September 2021. ■ Kai Havertz has scored two goals in his last three league games, more than in his previous 12 matches in the competition.