Boro stay in touchMiddlesbrough bounced back from their defeat at Watford with a convincing 2-0 Sky Bet Championship win over struggling Rotherham.After the Easter Monday setback, Aitor Karanka's side kept their automatic promotion hopes alive with a 14th home win of the season, thanks to second-half goals by Lee Tomlin and Patrick Bamford - who also missed a late penalty.But with the top three sides all winning, the Teesside outfit stay fourth in the table.After a quiet start, Boro soon started to find their feet and when Rotherham failed to clear a corner in the 10th minute, returning defender Daniel Ayala tried an ambitious bicycle-kick which went straight into Emiliano Martinez's hands.The home side dominated the first half and on the half hour they had two attemptsFirst Ayala's header was cleared off the line, before Tomlin's follow-up shot was blocked.It was Albert Adomah's turn to have a try three minutes later when he shot from just inside the area, but Martinez did well to get down to the effort, then he was denied by Danny Lafferty on the line minutes later.The opening goal came five minutes into the second half when Tomlin pressed forward and the Millers defenders stood off the forward, allowing him time and space to plant a low shot past Martinez.The Rotherham goalkeeper had to be on his toes again five minutes after the goal when Kike played a smart ball in behind the defence for Bamford - but Martinez did well to smother the ball at his feet.Kike had a shot saved on the hour before Bamford doubled Boro's lead six minutes later with his 16th goal of the season.Tomlin laid the ball off for the Chelsea forward and he took one touch before coolly rolling the ball past Martinez into the bottom corner.Rotherham had a rare shot at goal after 73 minutes when sub Lee Frecklington hit a powerful drive which had Dimi Konstantopoulos beaten - but the ball flew past his post.But it was Boro who looked like the only side capable of scoring and the third goal nearly came in the 77th minute when Tomlin clipped an exquisite ball to the back post - but Bamford's first-time half-volley was easily saved by Martinez at his near post.Sub Emilio Nsue should have made it 3-0 with two minutes to go when he had an open goal - but his shot was deflected just wide.And from the resulting corner Kike met Adam Forshaw's ball with a thumping header which Martinez had to tip over the bar.Bamford should have bagged his 17th goal of the season in injury time when Richard Wood brought Kike down in the area - but the forward's poor spot-kick was saved by Martinez
Source : PA
Source: PA