Rotherham United 0-3 Wycombe Wanderers: Chairboys beat fellow strugglers
- Published
On-loan forward Admiral Muskwe opened the scoring for Wycombe, who secured back-to-back wins for just the second time this season
Wycombe Wanderers boosted their hopes of Championship survival by winning at fellow strugglers Rotherham United.
Admiral Muskwe fired the Chairboys into the lead in the second minute and Jason McCarthy's deflected strike made it 2-0 to the visitors midway through the first half.
The Millers dominated the end of the first period but David Stockdale denied Ben Wiles, Jamie Lindsay and Lewis Wing.
Wycombe continued to defend stoutly after the break and David Wheeler made the points safe in the closing stages, latching on to a flick-on by Adebayo Akinfenwa to finish from a narrow angle.
Gareth Ainsworth's men are now eight points from safety, while Rotherham are six points adrift of 21st-placed Birmingham - although the Millers have three games in hand on the Blues, who travel to Brentford on Tuesday.
Rare away win boost Chairboys
Wycombe headed to South Yorkshire with the worst away record in the second tier and without a goal, or win on the road, in five outings.
But on-loan Leicester striker Muskwe gave them the perfect start with a clinical finish after a goal-kick by Stockdale was flicked into the Millers box.
The Zimbabwe international lifted another effort over the bar before Rotherham defender Michael Ihiekwe powered a header wide and last-ditch defending by Jack Grimmer denied Freddie Ladapo an equaliser.
After falling 2-0 down, the hosts continued to carve out chances as Stockdale kept out a glancing header from Michael Smith and saved in quick succession from Wiles and Lindsay.
The Millers struggled to break down the Wanderers' defence in the second half, with Wing firing narrowly wide from 25 yards before a long clearance downfield by Stockdale provided the platform for Wheeler to seal back-to-back victories for just the second time this season.
Rotherham have now lost their past five at the AESSEAL New York Stadium and eight of their past 10 games.
Paul Warne's side now face a crucial spell in their bid for survival, with Saturday's trip to Huddersfield starting a run of four matches in the space of eight days.
Rotherham boss Paul Warne told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"It was a poor day at the office. The first goal is very avoidable and that set the tone for the day.
"We had plenty of opportunities in the first half to get back into the game and I thought we'd come in with at least a goal on the sheet.
"The lads wanted to win the game desperately and claw their way out of it, and we huffed and puffed in the second half.
"When you've got 11 games left and need four or five wins, every single game is a must-win."
Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"I don't want The Great Escape theme tune being played too much at the moment.
"But I am the proudest manager in the Championship and I am buzzing because that was a great performance.
"We have got six cup finals and we will see where we can end up. It is game on for us because everyone has written us off.
"I am just gutted the first half of the season hasn't gone like the second, because we'd be well in the mix."