Rotherham United 2-2 Bournemouth: Freddie Ladapo scores twice as Millers hold Cherries
- Published
Freddie Ladapo's second goal of the game had given Rotherham the lead over Bournemouth
Freddie Ladapo scored twice to earn Rotherham a share of the points in an entertaining Championship clash with promotion-chasing Bournemouth at the New York Stadium.
Ladapo levelled from close range after Junior Stanislas had put the Cherries ahead with a 20th-minute penalty, his third goal in two games.
Despite Bournemouth pressure, it was the home side who edged in front through Ladapo's second, five minutes into the second half.
Substitute Diego Rico set up Dominic Solanke to head the equaliser on the hour, but Bournemouth were unable to find a winner, which would have taken them top of the table after leaders Norwich were held by Coventry.
Solanke, who looked dangerous from the first whistle, nearly gave the visitors the lead as he beat Rotherham goalkeeper Jamal Blackman to a Stanislas cross, only to nudge the ball wide.
But the Bournemouth striker was felled soon afterwards by Blackman as he collected a return pass from Lloyd Kelly and Stanislas confidently steered home the resulting spot-kick.
The Millers almost struck back immediately as Joe Mattock's ball picked out Jamie Lindsay, but the midfielder's header was neatly tipped over by Asmir Begovic.
However, the same pair combined on the left flank to create Rotherham's 37th-minute equaliser, with Ladapo darting to the near post to stab Mattock's cross over the line.
Although Stanislas went close to restoring the Cherries' advantage either side of the break, it was Ladapo who doubled his tally for the game five minutes into the second half.
Lindsay's ball was half-cleared to the striker, who wheeled away from his marker and dinked a left-foot shot over the helpless Begovic into the far corner.
However, Solanke made it 2-2 with his fifth goal of the season, nodding home Rico's cross and Bournemouth pressed hard for victory in the final quarter of the game.
Blackman dived to deny Solanke again, while Jefferson Lerma also went close with a chip onto the roof of the Rotherham net.
Rotherham manager Paul Warne told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"It's the most complete performance we've had this season in 90 minutes. The last two games we've been good in the second half of both but not the first, so we definitely addressed that.
"I asked the lads to be brave and I knew they'd have opportunities. I thought we created the most chances to win the game.
"It was nice to see we looked a little more aggressive on our set-pieces today, which I've been asking for.
"If I'm being greedy I'd have preferred the win, but to take a point off a top team will hopefully give our dressing room the belief in themselves that I have in them."
Bournemouth boss Jason Tindall told BBC Radio Solent:
"We had to make changes today due to the injuries to (Arnaut) Danjuma and Lewis Cook and I think that showed in our performance at times.
"When you come here, you know you're going to face a very direct side that play a lot of long balls and play for a lot of restarts and load the ball in the box.
"For large parts of the game we did a lot of the ugly stuff well and I was pleased with the response to going 2-1 down. I think we take the point and move on.
"I'm really disappointed with the two goals we conceded - I don't think we covered ourselves in glory there."
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