Rotherham United 0-4 West Bromwich Albion: Baggies boss hails 'phenomenal' hat-trick hero Gayle
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Dwight Gayle previously scored one hat-trick for Peterborough, two for Crystal Palace and two for Newcastle
West Bromwich Albion head coach Darren Moore hailed hat-trick hero Dwight Gayle's "phenomenal contribution" after their 4-0 win at Rotherham.
Gayle's treble helped the third-placed Baggies extend their unbeaten run to seven games and took the Newcastle loan forward's tally for the season to 13 goals.
Moore said: "He's happy here, he's enjoying his football and he's scoring goals. His contribution to the team has been phenomenal.
"He is a goalscorer and goalscorers are hard to come by. He illustrated why we want him at the football club and we are pleased to have him here.
"His energy, his enthusiasm for the game, his character - we are delighted to have him. He scores goals but he does tremendous work for the team and he is a joy to work with."
Gayle put the Baggies ahead by firing a free-kick under the home side's defensive wall.
Harvey Barnes made it 2-0 after Jay Rodriguez's effort hit the woodwork and keeper Marek Rodak failed to gather the rebound and Gayle then headed in his second.
Another error by Rodak gifted Gayle the match ball before Ryan Manning hit a post with a penalty for the Millers.
Albion's win was their sixth away from home, and almost as pleasing for Moore was seeing his side keep a clean sheet in the league for only the second time this season.
Rotherham showed plenty of attacking endeavour, with Semi Ajayi's follow-up cleared off the line after Manning rattled a post with an angled shot after Gayle's opener.
But they lacked the kind of finishing potency demonstrated by West Brom's top scorer, typified by his second goal after diving to beat his marker to Matt Phillips' free-kick at the near post.
Gayle's hat-trick, completed when Rodak could only palm the ball to him under pressure, was the sixth of his career and first since scoring three for Newcastle in a 4-0 win over Birmingham City in December 2016.
The Millers kept pressing forwards in the hope of a consolation, but when the chance came after Tosin Adarabioyo brought down Richie Towell, Manning sent Sam Johnstone the wrong way only for his spot-kick to rebound away off the post.
West Brom stay third in the table, three points behind Leeds, who play Aston Villa on Sunday, with Rotherham 20th and still without a win since early November.
Rotherham manager Paul Warne:
"I don't think we could have played any better. We missed a penalty which summed up the day really.
"We were just on the side of unlucky, I don't think we deserved to lose 4-0 but West Brom were the better team.
"The lads played as well as they possibly could. Another day we might have got the equalising goal when we hit the post.
"It wasn't like we took an absolute trouncing, we were always in the game. I don't feel ashamed at losing at home to West Brom."