Match ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 5, Rotherham United 0.
WolvesWolverhampton Wanderers5RotherhamRotherham United0
Striker Benik Afobe's brace helped a rampant Wolves maintain their Championship play-off push as they thrashed Rotherham United at Molineux.
Wolves took the lead when Kevin McDonald crossed for Afobe to fire home before Nouha Dicko doubled their lead.
Rotherham's best chance came before the break when Matt Derbyshire nodded Adam Hammill's cross on to the post.
But Wolves capitalised with Afobe finding a second before Dave Edwards and Bakary Sako sealed three points.
It capped off a good afternoon for the hosts who kept alive their play-off hopes but Rotherham slipped to 21st place, having now conceded 10 goals in their last three matches.
A spell of early pressure told for Wanderers when McDonald managed to pick out former Arsenal trainee Afobe who kept his composure to beat Rotherham keeper Adam Collin.
Minutes later, Wolves doubled their advantage when scorer turned provider as Afobe played Dicko through to notch his 10th goal of the season.
But Rotherham fought back in a lively first half, with former Molineux man Hammill finding Derbyshire whose header hit the upright.
After the break, home keeper Tomasz Kuszczak kept Wolves in control when Zeki Fryers whipped in a cross to the head of Derbyshire, but the Pole made a wonderful one-handed save.
Wolves found a third on the counter from a Rotherham corner as James Henry set up the onrushing Afobe to calmly finish.
The hosts did not ease off, however, as Sako whipped the ball to the near post towards Edwards who headed home a fourth.
Six minutes later, Wolves were five up after Rajiv van La Parra passed straight through to Sako to beat Collin and put them out of sight.
Wolves manager Kenny Jackett:
"In the first 30 minutes we played as well as we have done for months. We passed the ball well, controlled the game and the key goal in the Championship is the first one and we got it with a very well-taken finish from Benik Afobe.
"We followed that up with Dicko's goal, which made it a very good start, and as the home side you are looking for that.
"We were too loose after that and quite scruffy with our defending. That aside, after that period our play on the counter-attack was very good and obviously we were able to finish and go further ahead.
"We went for it and we need to because we have to keep the pressure on what looks a very good top six or seven teams. A play-off place is realistic. If we can average two points a game between now and the end season we will be unlucky not to get in the top six."
Rotherham manager Steve Evans:
"Our defending wasn't good, our finishing wasn't good, so it is a bad day for us at the office. We have to go away, look at it, reflect on it and try to put it right, as that has not been like us in recent weeks.
"We gave them too much time on the ball at different times today and I think all bar one they took every chance.
"I don't want to stand here and be foolish and say we made six or seven chances ourselves, but we have and the difference is that they have been clinical and we have missed quite simple chances.
"We will look at it on the screen and address certain things and move on from it and try to put a team and a system and a shape together and get ready for the next game against Watford on Tuesday."
Line-ups
Wolves
Formation 4-4-2
- 29Kuszczak
- 33Iorfa
- 6Batth
- 5Stearman
- 3GolbourneSubstituted forHauseat 81'minutes
- 7Henry
- 11McDonald
- 4Edwards
- 10Sako
- 12AfobeSubstituted forvan La Parraat 67'minutes
- 40DickoSubstituted forDoyleat 68'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Doherty
- 13McCarey
- 16Doyle
- 17van La Parra
- 23Ebanks-Landell
- 27Jacobs
- 30Hause
Rotherham
Formation 4-3-3
- 21Collin
- 16Richardson
- 5Broadfoot
- 4ArnasonBooked at 39mins
- 28Fryers
- 33Smallwood
- 11Green
- 15MilsomSubstituted forSammonat 45'minutes
- 24HammillBooked at 57minsSubstituted forNewtonat 81'minutes
- 27DerbyshireSubstituted forClarke-Harrisat 78'minutes
- 22WardBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 1Loach
- 10Bowery
- 17Newton
- 18Pringle
- 20Morgan
- 23Sammon
- 29Clarke-Harris
- Referee:
- Iain Williamson
- Attendance:
- 20,336
Match Stats
Home TeamWolvesAway TeamRotherham
- Possession
- Home52%
- Away48%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away7
- Corners
- Home2
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away7
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 5, Rotherham United 0.
Booking
Danny Ward (Rotherham United) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Attempt missed. Rajiv van La Parra (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Kevin McDonald.
Post update
Corner, Rotherham United. Conceded by Danny Batth.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Paul Green (Rotherham United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Kirk Broadfoot.
Post update
Attempt saved. Conor Sammon (Rotherham United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jonson Clarke-Harris with a headed pass.
Substitution
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Kortney Hause replaces Scott Golbourne.
Substitution
Substitution, Rotherham United. Conor Newton replaces Adam Hammill.
Goal!
Goal! Wolverhampton Wanderers 5, Rotherham United 0. Bakary Sako (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Rajiv van La Parra.
Substitution
Substitution, Rotherham United. Jonson Clarke-Harris replaces Matt Derbyshire.
Post update
Corner, Rotherham United. Conceded by Dominic Iorfa.
Goal!
Goal! Wolverhampton Wanderers 4, Rotherham United 0. Dave Edwards (Wolverhampton Wanderers) header from a difficult angle on the right to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Bakary Sako with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Richard Smallwood.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Bakary Sako (Wolverhampton Wanderers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by James Henry.
Post update
Attempt saved. Conor Sammon (Rotherham United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Adam Hammill.
Post update
Offside, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Kevin McDonald tries a through ball, but Rajiv van La Parra is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt saved. Conor Sammon (Rotherham United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Adam Hammill (Rotherham United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Danny Ward.
Post update
Attempt missed. Bakary Sako (Wolverhampton Wanderers) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Kevin McDonald following a set piece situation.
