Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Rotherham United and Hull City at the New York Stadium on Tuesday | Cameron Humphreys-Grant own goal and Noah Ohio seal a second-half comeback win for the Tigers
Wednesday 14 February 2024 09:52, UK
Liam Rosenior believes Jaden Philogene deserves to be credited with Hull's "ridiculous" opening goal as they boosted their Championship play-off hopes with a 2-1 win at rock-bottom Rotherham..
The Millers had taken a surprise lead when Christ Tiehi opened the scoring in the fourth minute, but that proved to be far too early for them as Hull scored twice in four second-half minutes.
Philogene pulled off a fine bit of skill to beat Ollie Rathbone twice and then produce a rabona that nicked off Cameron Humphreys and into the net.
It was officially given as a Humphreys own-goal and then four minutes later Noah Ohio swept home for Hull as they overturned Tiehi's early opener for Rotherham to seal a victory which sees Rosenior's side move into seventh position ahead of another batch of Championship games on Wednesday.
Tigers head coach Rosenior joked that the dubious goal panel should award Philogene the goal.
"We should give him the goal, we need to appeal to the FA for the outrageous piece of skill," he said. "He is trying to beg it in the dressing room that it's his goal. I said to him that at least it's an assist. That is Jaden's goal, it's what we pay money for.
"Ridiculous, it's ridiculous, his ability is something we have missed for a long time. He is only going to get better the more games he plays.
"It is not just his goal or the showreel moments, it is his energy levels for the team, he has a real belief, he can be a top player but the reason he can be a top player is because he works so hard on his game.
"We have to get him off the training pitch because he wants to do extra."
At the other end of the table, Rotherham look certain to be exiting the division at the other end, sitting 12 points adrift of safety and without a win since Boxing Day.
The hosts, however, did make a perfect start and went ahead in the fourth minute as Tiehi latched on to Seb Revan's cross and saw his side-footed effort deflected into the corner.
The Millers should have doubled their lead three minutes later as Peter Kioso's header from Sam Clucas' cross was brilliantly clawed away by Ryan Allsop.
They could have done with that going in as the visitors launched an assault on the Rotherham goal for the remainder of the match.
Goalkeeper Johansson was in inspired form and kept his side in front.
The Sweden international palmed away Billy Sharp's header and then produced a miraculous stop to shovel away another from Jacob Greaves before getting down well to save Anass Zaroury's low effort at the near post.
The second half also saw Johansson in early action as he kept out Fabio Carvalho's header with a flying save.
Rotherham needed to stem the tide and had a rare sighting of goal when Sam Nombe was left free from Kioso's cross but he could not make sufficient contact with his header.
Hull's attacking onslaught eventually paid dividends as they equalised in the 71st minute.
Former Millers loanee Ryan Giles thundered a shot off the underside of the crossbar and home midfielder Ollie Rathbone played a pass straight to Jaden Philogene, who twisted and turned and then sent in a rabona cross that flicked off Humphreys and into the far corner.
Four minutes later Hull took the lead as Giles fired in a low cross for Ohio to sweep into the bottom corner for his first goal for the club.
Rotherham have not come from behind to win since last April so that was game over, with Hull returning up the M18 with three points that firmly in the play-off picture with 15 games to go.
Rotherham's Leam Richardson:
"Congratulations to Hull, they are having a good season and invested really well in the summer and the January window.
"We wanted to start with a real strong intent, to be in the ascendency and we did that.
"We had a mad five or 10 minutes, I thought we missed a big chance with 1-0 with Sam (Nombe) and they went down the other end and scored.
"Disappointed to concede the way we did. I will never criticise lads for honest mistakes on the pitch but obviously we have to stop making them.
"The Championship is as strong as it has been for 20 years and walking into this situation and this football club I was very aware of it, I could have shied away from it. It's not in my make up.
"I know where this club wants to be and at the end of the season and next season, what we want to sustain.
"Things have got to be put into place to do that moving forward and certainly leaders of the club are aware of it and we will try our best to make positive decisions."
Hull's Liam Rosenior:
"We should give him the goal, we need to appeal to the FA for the outrageous piece of skill.
"He is trying to beg it in the dressing room that it's his goal. I said to him that at least it's an assist. That is Jaden's goal, it's what we pay money for.
"Ridiculous, it's ridiculous, his ability is something we have missed for a long time. He is only going to get better the more games he plays.
"It is not just his goal or the showreel moments, it is his energy levels for the team, he has a real belief, he can be a top player but the reason he can be a top player is because he works so hard on his game.
"We have to get him off the training pitch because he wants to do extra."
