Match ends, Middlesbrough 2, Rotherham United 0.
MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough2RotherhamRotherham United0
Middlesbrough overcame Rotherham United to keep up their Championship automatic promotion charge thanks to goals from Lee Tomlin and Patrick Bamford.
Boro took the lead through Tomlin's superb solo effort before Bamford coolly doubled their lead soon after.
Danny Ward's volleyed effort could have got the Millers back in contention but was saved by Dimi Konstantopoulos.
The hosts were awarded a late penalty when Lee Frecklington felled Kike but Bamford missed his spot-kick.
It capped off a miserable trip to the Riverside for Rotherham with their last win away at Middlesbrough coming in March 1965.
Rotherham caught Boro out on the counter attack early on when Adam Hammill was allowed the space to unleash a powerful shot that beat Konstantopoulos but narrowly went over the crossbar.
Middlesbrough dominated much of the first half and were almost rewarded when Tomlin found an opening but he struck just wide from distance.
Albert Adomah could have broken the deadlock for the hosts after linking up with Kike but the Ghanaian's effort went just too high.
After a spell of sustained pressure from the hosts, it took Paul Green's deft reactions to keep the sides on level terms as the midfielder blocked Tomlin's close-range shot.
| The Millers' poor record on the road | |
|---|---|
| The result means that Rotherham United have won only one of their last 10 away games | |
The ball was cleared off the Rotherham goal-line again soon after when some clever play between Bamford and Kike allowed Adomah to shoot but Kyle Lafferty was on hand to clear.
After the interval, Middlesbrough deservedly took the lead when Tomlin rifled a low shot from the edge of the box past Martinez.
Middlesbrough were two up soon after when Tomlin sent a superb square ball through to Bamford who made no mistake from six yards out for his 16th league goal of the season.
The visitors fought back and it took a superb save by Konstantopoulos to deny Kirk Broadfoot's close-range half-volley.
It was a disappointing afternoon for the visitors, whose best effort of a difficult second half came when Frecklington found substitute Ward, who dragged the ball wide.
Frecklington then conceded a penalty late on and was booked for bringing down Kike but Boro failed to capitalise as Bamford missed from the spot.
Middlesbrough stay fourth after Gary Hooper's late winner for Norwich and Watford's win at Millwall.
Rotherham remain in 21st, seven points off the Championship relegation places on 43 points with four matches still to play.
Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka:
"It's another important three points because the other teams at the top have won.
"We have to keep going winning the games and we have to keep going in these final four games. We have to concentrate on ourselves.
"If we win four games we'll get promotion but it's very difficult to do that. At this time every single point is important as all the other teams at the top have won - and we're still up there fighting for a top-two place."
Rotherham assistant manager Paul Raynor:
"We could have kept the ball a lot better and we kept giving it back to them. If you do that against a good quality side they're going to hurt you.
"We made a cardinal error for their first goal and got punished for it. Lee Tomlin's a good quality player and he's got the quality to tuck that kind of chance away.
"We can't rely on others, we've got to look after ourselves. If we can stay in this division and establish ourselves we'll get better, but this season is about survival now."
Line-ups
Middlesbrough
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 13Konstantopoulos
- 26Kalas
- 6Gibson
- 4AyalaSubstituted forWoodgateat 70'minutes
- 3Friend
- 8ClaytonSubstituted forWhiteheadat 79'minutes
- 34Forshaw
- 27Adomah
- 10TomlinSubstituted forNsueat 85'minutes
- 23Bamford
- 9Kike
Substitutes
- 12Ripley
- 18Whitehead
- 21Vossen
- 24Nsue
- 29Amorebieta
- 33Wildschut
- 39Woodgate
Rotherham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 26E Martínez
- 30Hunt
- 5Broadfoot
- 6Wood
- 3Lafferty
- 33Smallwood
- 4ArnasonBooked at 64minsSubstituted forFrecklingtonat 69'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 10Bowery
- 11GreenSubstituted forSammonat 76'minutes
- 24Hammill
- 27DerbyshireSubstituted forWardat 59'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Frecklington
- 15Milsom
- 17Newton
- 18Pringle
- 21Collin
- 22Ward
- 23Sammon
- Referee:
- Iain Williamson
- Attendance:
- 19,537
Match Stats
Home TeamMiddlesbroughAway TeamRotherham
- Possession
- Home63%
- Away37%
- Shots
- Home17
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away2
- Corners
- Home7
- Away0
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Middlesbrough 2, Rotherham United 0.
Post update
Foul by Kike (Middlesbrough).
Post update
Kirk Broadfoot (Rotherham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Penalty saved! Patrick Bamford (Middlesbrough) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, left footed shot saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
Penalty Middlesbrough. Kike draws a foul in the penalty area.
Post update
Penalty conceded by Richard Wood (Rotherham United) after a foul in the penalty area.
Booking
Lee Frecklington (Rotherham United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Daniel Lafferty.
Post update
Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Emiliano Martinez.
Post update
Attempt saved. Kike (Middlesbrough) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Adam Forshaw with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Kirk Broadfoot.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Emilio Nsue Lopez (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Patrick Bamford.
Post update
Foul by George Friend (Middlesbrough).
Post update
Jordan Bowery (Rotherham United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Middlesbrough. Emilio Nsue Lopez replaces Lee Tomlin.
Post update
Attempt missed. Danny Ward (Rotherham United) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Post update
Attempt missed. Lee Frecklington (Rotherham United) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Danny Ward.
Post update
Adam Forshaw (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Lee Frecklington (Rotherham United).
