FARKE UNFAZED BY DUBIOUS OPENER
Bamford hands it to Whites
DANIEL Farke insists Leeds would have won even if Patrick Bamford’s controversial opening goal had been chalked off.
Bamford put Leeds ahead with heavy suggestions of handball after a deflected cross appeared to brush his arm on its way into the net.
Crysencio Summerville added a second after the break and grabbed another from the penalty spot as the hosts made it six wins in a row to remain third in the table.
Boss Farke admitted he had not seen a replay of the opening strike, but that it would not have impacted the final result had it been disallowed.
He said: “Someone mentioned it’s a possible handball or the ball was deflected by Patrick’s arm. For me, it’s not possible to judge it.
“You have to say if it was a handball then probably it should have been not allowed, but if I’m really honest normally you say over the course of a season everything is a bit equal.
“Today it was not important because we created so many chances.
“Even if this situation would have been disallowed, it would still be the same outcome.
“Rotherham never gave up so we are happy with the 3-0.”
After early Rotherham pressure, Wilfried Gnonto got in behind the Millers, but was unable to find Summerville ahead of keeper Viktor Johansson.
Georginio Rutter’s promising cross then found Bamford, but his weak effort was claimed by Johansson after five minutes.
Bamford was denied before ten minutes was played by Hakeem Odoffin’s low tackle after Rutter’s good work as the hosts continued to apply pressure.
Leeds took the lead when Junior Firpo’s left-wing cross deflected off Rotherham skipper Sean Morrison and struck what appeared to be a Bamford arm to put the Whites ahead. Rutter’s shot from outside the box flew just over before Summerville wasted a glorious chance after Firpo robbed Odoffin and the winger blasted his 25th-minute effort over, with Rutter being denied by Johansson moments later.
Ethan Ampadu’s fantastic long pass put Bamford through one-on-one, but he was unable to control it ten minutes from half-time.
Archie Gray nearly capped off a sustained Leeds move, but fired straight at Johansson, before the keeper denied Gnonto’s fiercely-struck effort just before the break to keep the deficit at one.
Illan Meslier was sharp to control Glen Kamara’s back pass and prevent an own goal early in the second half.
Leeds should have doubled their lead when Bamford struck the bar and Gnonto blasted a follow-up over from close range.
But Summerville gave Leeds a deserved second as he exchanged passes with Rutter and buried past an onrushing Johansson after 52 minutes.
Referee Andrew Madley pointed to the spot when Peter Kioso brought down Summerville and the winger coolly converted on the hour mark.
Gnonto could have made it four, but his low 78th-minute drive fizzed inches wide before a rare Millers foray forward saw Christ Tiehi blast over following a corner.