Football: Baggies bounce back up

ROB HULSE ended a six-match scoring drought in devastating fashion as he bagged two wonder goals to send West Brom back to the top of the First Division.

The former Crewe striker chose his 24th birthday to fire his ninth and tenth goals of the season and deepen the gloom over Millmoor.

Rotherham are in deep trouble near the foot of the table and have now won just once in 13 League outings.

Furious Millers boss Ronnie Moore blasted his side's "laughable" defending after the Baggies ran riot.

Rotherham - who visit Highbury in the Carling Cup on Tuesday - are in dire straits, and Moore said: "Arsenal will be rubbing their hands if they see a video of our defending."

The home side faded after a bright start as Gary Megson's promotion-chasers bounced back from their shock midweek home defeat to Wimbledon.

Hulse netted twice in 16 second-half minutes to seal a deserved victory after Shaun Barker's own goal had given the visitors a useful half-time lead.

But the Baggies ought to have won by an even bigger margin with recalled striker Lee Hughes guilty of spurning a hat-trick of chances in the first-half alone.

Hughes, now without a goal in 10 outings, went close to ending his barren spell with a 29th-minute close-range header which was cleared off the line by Chris Sedgwick.

But Rotherham's defence finally cracked 10 minutes later as the visitors stormed into the lead with a scrappy goal.

Hughes was still being jeered by home fans after making a meal of a challenge by Scott Minto which earned the Baggies a free-kick on the edge of the area.

Rotherham failed to clear the danger and when Jason Koumas delivered a dangerous low centre into the six-yard area, the ball deflected off the hapless Barker's foot and rolled into the back of the net.

The afternoon went from bad to worse for the home fans as Hulse netted the first of his two goals just four minutes after the re- start.

The pounds 1m summer signing justified his price tag with a finish which belonged in the Premiership after a sweeping move involving the hard-working Koumas.

Then Hulse rounded off a birthday to remember with another wonder goal to seal a comprehensive Albion win following a terrific solo run.MAN OF THE MATCH ANDY JOHNSON

The driving force behind Albion's victory.

ROTHERHAM: Pollitt 6, S Barker 6, Swailes 6, McIntosh 6, Minto 6 (Hurst 6), Sedgwick 6 (Robins 6), Mullin 6, Talbot 6, Warne 6, Byfield 5, R Barker 5.

WEST BROM: Hoult 6, Haas 6, Gilchrist 6, Gaardsoe 6, Robinson 6, Koumas 7, O'Connor 7, JOHNSON 8, Gregan 6, Hughes 6, Hulse 7.

MANAGER RATINGS: Moore 6; Megson 7.

REFEREE: A Butler 6.

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