Rotherham United boss Steve Evans backs Sam Nombe to keep racking up the goals

The Scot paid tribute to the former Exeter striker after his added-time heroics gave the Millers a last-gasp three points in a 3-2 win.

While Nombe eased the club’s League One relegation worries, he also deepened Rovers’ fears of the drop with the result leaving the Gas just one place above the drop zone.

“When I first started managing him I told Sam how I hated the fact that he always gave me heartache when he was at Exeter,” said Evans.

“That was because he always seemed to be really good against my teams but thankfully he’s doing the opposite now and giving me lots to smile about.

“Sam’s now got 10 goals to his name this season but I’d like him to push on to the 17 or 18-goal mark like he was with Exeter when we paid £1.3m for him.

“We’re now starting to see the best of Sam after he had to play as a lone striker in the Championship which was tough going.

“Sam is a gem of a young kid and I’m really chuffed for him that all his hard work in training has paid off so richly.

“He works really hard on his finishing as well as his fitness and that showed today, right at the death.”

Ruel Sotiriou put Rovers ahead after five minutes but Nombe levelled on 36 minutes with a close-range finish.

Zak Jules headed the Yorkshire side into the lead after 52 minutes before Aston Villa loanee defender Sil Swinkels nodded in an equaliser, only for Nombe to have the final say.

Bristol Rovers: J Ward, Hunt, Wilson, Swinkels, Sousa (Omochere 61), G Ward (Thomas 62), Butcher, Sinclair (Moore 61), Hutchinson, Sotiriou, Martin. Unused substitutes: Roberts, Senior, Lindsay, Shaw.

Rotherham United: Phillips, McWilliams (Sibley 90), Odofin, Jules, James, Mpanzu, Humphreys, Powell, Wilks (Holmes 90), Clarke-Harris (Kayode 84), Nombe. Unused substitutes: Dawson, Hull, Hugill, Hatton.

Referee: Ed Duckworth (Cheshire).