Rortherham United 2 Blackpool 1: Paul Warne praises Dan Barlaser following third straight win

Rotherham's Dan Barlaser loses out to Matty Virtue

The Millers made it three wins on the bounce and moved up to second in the table after seeing off Blackpool with an 85th minute winner coming from Barlaser's free-kick.

Michael Smith put Rotherham in front with 21 minutes gone. The big striker rose highest to head Barlaser's corner past Mark Howard.

Blackpool hit back in the 34th minute thanks to Armand Gnanduillet who snuck in at the backpost to bury Jordan Thompson's clipped pass.

The Millers pushed to go back ahead in the second half with Smith's header being cleared off the line and then Howard pulling off a superb stop to deny Kyle Vassell.

They were not to be denied with Barlaser coolly stroking home from the edge of the box to earn the three points.

Warne said of Barlaser: “Dan's done well. I've been really pleased with him I feel sorry for him that the fans hadn't seen the best of him because I have chopped and changed my midfield.

“He's had a good run in the team to settle in and he's brilliant on set-pieces.

“I thought we played really well and it was nice to back up a performance from our last home game.

“It was an optimistic and positive place and we leave the stadium in second and I still think we can get better.

“I thought we deserved to go in in the lead. I thought we were the better side first half.

“I wasn't content with the draw, I wanted the win. I thought a goal would come.”

“We are good when we shoot that way and I just thought sooner or later something would drop.

“We didn't create enough chances to win as comfortably as I would like but I can't knock the lads' efforts. The amount of effort they put in was really impressive.

“I tried to squeeze the game out of Blackpool from the first kick.

“I'm not going to get giddy at this time of year because it counts for nothing.”

Rotherham United: Iversen, Thompson, Ihiekwe, Wood, Olosunde,Wiles (Hastie, 69), Crooks, Barlaser, Ogbene, Smith (Morris, 81), Ladapo (Vassell, 63).

Unused: Price, Clarke, Lindsay, Lamy.

Blackpool: Howard, Turton (Feeney, 86), Heneghan, Edwards, Husband, Spearing, Thompson (Tilt, half time), Virtue, Kaikai (Nuttall, half time), Delfouneso, Gnanduillet.

Unused: Sims, Nottingham, Guy, MacDonald.

Attendance: 8,689.