Brentford 4-2 Rotherham United

  • Published
JotaImage source, Rex Features
Image caption,

Jota has now scored six goals and registered three assists in eight league games for Brentford this season

Jota scored a hat-trick as Brentford beat Championship strugglers Rotherham.

The Spaniard scored from the penalty spot and on the counter-attack in injury time to wrap up the points and net his first hat-trick for the club.

Earlier, he gave Brentford the lead from a tight angle before Rotherham levelled through Aimen Belaid's header.

Nico Yennaris turned in Ryan Woods' cross and Anthony Forde's long-shot made it 2-2, but Semi Ajayi's handball allowed Jota to claim the victory.

Jota was recalled early from a loan spell at Spanish side Eibar in January and has been in fine form since his return.

The 25-year-old's contribution was telling against bottom side Rotherham, who were denied just a second point on the road this season.

Playing as a forward because of an injury to Lasse Vibe, he found the bottom corner after good work from Florian Jozefzoon to set the Bees on their way.

Despite their perilous position, the Millers fought back admirably and Daniel Bentley was forced to save one-on-one from Danny Ward, while Ajayi and Jon Taylor also had chances.

After Belaid and Yennaris traded goals, substitute Forde looked to have made a telling contribution with his 25-yard strike - but it was Jota who had the final say in added time.

He placed his penalty down the middle to make it 3-2 before rounding off a move on the break to take his side up to 13th and condemn Rotherham to a seventh defeat in their last eight league games.

Brentford manager Dean Smith:

"Jota has saved it for us late on. He is a terrific player and I have not worked with a player with such good balance.

"When we move the ball quickly we look at our most effective and always look like scoring, but I wish we didn't have these five-minute spells where they have chances.

"We were in total control in the first half but after the break they got a little lift and we got a bit sloppy and gave too many cheap free-kicks away, which I was disappointed with because we'd spoken about their threat from set-pieces."

Rotherham interim manager Paul Warne told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"The result wasn't fair on us. I don't think it flattered us when it was 2-2. I thought we played really well and I told the lads they had to take pride in their performance.

"I'm not going to say we are down until we are down but we are all realists. I think we have a responsibility to our fans, our sponsors, our chairman and our families to perform every week.

"I think if you came here today and said my lads had given up then you'd been drinking heavily before you came in."

Sorry, we can't display this part of the article any more.

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.