Rotherham United: Player ratings from the Brentford clash

ROTHERHAM (4-4-1-1)

LEWIS PRICE 6

Big ask to come in at short notice after five weeks out when Richard O’Donnell damaged his finger in the warm-up. Might have held on to the ball to stop Jota’s hat-trick goal.

STEPHEN KELLY 5

Not the player he was in last season’s survival push.

SEMI AJAYI 8

Strong, solid and mobile at the back and can pick a pass for such a big man.

AIMEN BELAID 6

Headed the Millers back into the game and was generally fairly sound.

BEN PURRINGTON 6

He’ll face easier opponents than the impish Jota, but the young left-back stuck to his task well.

JON TAYLOR 7

Usually high energy from the winger who delivered some dangerous crosses but marred his display with an awful second-half miss.

WILL VAULKS 5

Good cross for Aimen Belaid’s goal but otherwise struggled to impose himself on the game.

RICHIE SMALLWOOD 6

Rotherham’s busiest midfielder.

JOE NEWELL 4

A poor day for one of the Millers’ most skilful players and he was taken off after an hour to be replaced by Anthony Forde.

TOM ADEYEMI 6

Never saw him before the break in a role just behind striker Danny Ward, but much more influential in the second half.

DANNY WARD 6

Captain for the day, he fed on scraps in the first half and was better after the interval. Should have scored when Ajayi played him in.

Substitutes

ANTHONY FORDE 8

He changed the game by creating Aimen Belaid’s goal and scoring a cracker himself.

JOE MATTOCK

On for Aimen Belaid after 82 minutes.

DEXTER BLACKSTOCK

Replaced Richie Smallwood on 86 minutes.

Subs not used: Bray, Yates, Warren.

Brentford (3-5-2): Bentley 6; Colin 6, Egan 7, Bjelland 7; Jota 9, Kerschbaumer (Shaibu 77) 6, Woods 7, Yennaris 6, Henry 8; Jozefzoon (Canos 71) 6, Sawyers 5. Subs not used: Bonham, Clarke, Barbet, Field, Cole.

Goals: Jota 13, pen 90+2, 90+5, Yennaris 78 (Brentford); Belaid 68, Forde 87 (Rotherham).

Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire) 6.

Attendance: 9,918 (408).

Match feature: Paul Davis’s take on events at Griffin Park