Bristol Rovers 1 Rotherham United 2: Odejayi takes centre stage in Millers’ win

The Millers stunned a sizeable crowd at the Memorial Stadium by hitting two goals in two minutes around the hour mark, with Odejayi scoring one and making the other before Joe Anyinsah replied to set up a grandstand finish.

Odejayi tucked in a rebound on 60 minutes after goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall parried Alex Revell’s shot.

The home side were only just digesting that blow when Odejayi set up Lee Frecklington to volley into the roof of the net and set Rotherham on their way to a third straight victory.

They had to defend manfully to hold onto their lead, with goalkeeper Andy Warrington stooping to turn a drive from substitute David Clarkson around a post.

Rovers, beaten only once in nine games under new manager John Ward before last night, got back into it nine minutes from time when Anyinsah’s wicked angled drive flashed inside the far post, but Rotherham deserved the win on the balance of play.

They had shaded an uneventful first half, with Carry Arnason having a 20-yard shot charged down and Frecklington lobbing a good chance over when well placed.

Captain Johnny Mullins popped up with an important tackle on John-Joe O’Toole at the other end and the same player also rippled the side netting, but by the end of the night it was Rotherham who carried the extra cutting edge.

Bristol Rovers: Mildenhall, Smith, Parkes, McChrystal, Lee Brown, Clucas, Norburn (Hitchcock 68), O’Toole, Anyinsah, Broghammer (Richards 15), Brunt (Clarkson 46). Unused substitutes: Gough, Woodards, Harrison, McDonald.

Rotherham United: Warrington, Bradley, Mullins, Davis, Ridehalgh, Noble (Cameron 78), Arnason, Frecklington, Kearns (Odejayi 46), Revell (Slew 89), Agard. Unused substitutes: Thompson, Tonge, Pringle, Craig Morgan.

Referee: James Linington (Isle of Wight).