Rotherham United in the 'fight of their lives' to stay in Championship as Matt Taylor gives Dan Barlaser update

A change in formation and debuts for the club’s two new signings, Sean Morrison and Leo Hjelde, paid off for Taylor as the Millers gained their first victory since mid-November and ended an eight-game winless streak.

It took the Millers just 31 seconds to go in front after an attack down the left flank fell to Hakeem Odoffin and he lashed in his first ever league goal for the club with a stunning strike.

Rotherham doubled their advantage with a stunning effort early on in the second half.

Ollie Rathbone skipped by a challenge on the edge of the box before firing in a powerful strike which rattled the crossbar before bouncing over the line.

Shane Ferguson caught out Rovers goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski for the third when he curled in straight from a corner on 76 minutes. And there was further misery for Blackburn as Conor Washington found space in the box in stoppage time to fire a fourth in off the post.

Taylor hopes the victory can kick-start a successful battle against survival.

He said: “We have felt pretty low for the last six weeks or so. We have been lower than a snake’s belly.

“But there was intent and we were up in their faces and there was great execution in the quality of the goals.

“That first goal gave us a huge boost.

“There has been honesty from myself, the players and the staff, we have brought some players in and changed the shape.

“We have simplified our approach to the game which seemed to help the players. We have generally kept a good team at arm’s length.

“The message to the players before the game was we were in a 20-game season now and we’re in the fight of our lives.

“It’s the biggest fight I have ever been in and we have to show that.

"When you are confronted with a challenge you’ve got one or two options. You can run away and hide and make excuses or you can stand up to it and put your best foot forward. That was the way we went about our business today.”

Meanwhile, Taylor confirmed after the victory that Middlesbrough had made an offer for Barlaser but that it was not in the £900,000 region that the Millers are looking for.

Rotherham are keen to keep Barlaser until the end of the season, despite the player entering the final months of his contract at the New York Stadium.

Last month, Barlaser said his focus was on turning Rotherham’s form around amid interest from Middlesbrough.

He has been offered a new deal at Rotherham but as it stands there has been no indication that he has signed on the dotted line.

Rotherham United: Johansson, Peltier (Harding 88), Morrison (Wood 80), Humphreys, Hjelde (Bramall 89), Odofin (Lindsay 90), Barlaser, Rathbone, Ogbene, Washington, Ferguson (Kioso 88). Unused substitutes: McCart, Hemfrey.

Blackburn Rovers: Kaminski, Rankin-Costello, Ayala, Hyam (Phillips 59), Pickering, Morton, Garrett, Hedges (Dolan 56), Dack, Vale, Gallagher (Markanday 56). Unused substitutes: Edun, Pears, Carter, Travis.

Referee: D Whitestone (Northamptonshire).