Rotherham scored three goals from outside the box to help Rotherham produce one of the most comprehensive football results of the weekend in the Championship. After only 31 seconds, Hakeem Odoffin gave the home team the lead with a piledriver from the edge of the box. Oliver Rathbone extended Rotherham’s advantage in the second half by smashing an unstoppable shot off the underside of the crossbar. Despite controlling possession the whole game, Blackburn was unable to generate enough chances in front of goal. Following Shane Ferguson’s straight goal from a corner, Rotherham, who had only won once in their previous 12 league games, enjoyed a flawless afternoon concluded by Conor Washington’s late goal.
When Odoffin arrived to strike a beautiful half-volley from the edge of the box into the bottom right corner, Rotherham caught Blackburn off guard. Bradley Dack headed Harry Pickering’s cross over before Ryan Hedges was brilliantly stopped in the box by goalkeeper Viktor Johansson, who spread himself to prevent the goal-bound shot. Blackburn struggled to find their rhythm after that. Seven minutes after the half, Rathbone added a second with a left-footed effort from 20 yards that crashed down off the woodwork before bouncing over the goal line.
Ferguson’s in-swinging corner from the right was unable to be stopped by Thomas Kaminski at his near post, which caused Blackburn to suffer. However, Washington added a fourth goal for Rotherham in stoppage time by steering home a low attempt, this time from inside the area.
“For the past six weeks or so, we had felt very depressed. We have descended to the level of a snake,” Rotherham manager Matt Taylor said. “We were in their faces, there was an intention, and the goals were excellently executed. We were greatly boosted by the opening goal. I have been honest, and so have the players and the staff; we have added players and altered the shape.”
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