Second-placed Brighton bounced back from consecutive defeats by beating the Championship's bottom side Rotherham. Seagulls keeper David Stockdale denied Tom Adeyemi and Jerry Yates in a keenly contested first half. But the visitors took the lead when Anthony Knockaert drilled home the rebound after Beram Kayal and Sam Baldock both had efforts blocked. Substitute Solly March added Brighton's second when he beat keeper Lewis Price at his near post with a low strike. Price could have done better with March's effort, after the young winger cut in from the right, and Sam Baldock and Richie Towell had great chances to add more goals but both shot off target after beating the offside trap.

The result leaves Rotherham without a win in 10 matches, including nine defeats in that run, and 18 points from safety, which is more than they have earned so far all season. The Millers had begun the game well, with Adeyemi forcing Stockdale into a fine save from close range, and a reflex stop from Yates' effort from a long throw. But, despite early promise, Brighton scored two from their 22 efforts on goal, and Seagulls boss Chris Hughton may wonder how his side failed to score more.

Rotherham interim manager Paul Warne said: "We didn't get the first goal when we potentially could have and the league table doesn't lie. It was a psychological blow and we didn't really recover after the first goal. "I have got to try and pick them up for Saturday. They do lack confidence and they really dropped as a group with 20 minutes to go, which is sad. "We would have to go on the best winning run ever to avoid relegation. I don't want the season to fizzle out. We want to win football matches."

Brighton manager Chris Hughton said: "This was a game that I felt we had to win. We had to weather it a bit in the first half and the keeper had to make saves. "Once we got the goal it took the shackles off a little bit. We should have had more. "It allowed us to express ourselves that little bit more. The first goal changed it."