[monks data]

Championship

Jan 10, 2015 at 3pm UK

Brentford
1-0
Rotherham Rotherham United

Dallas (57')

FT(HT: 0-0)

Preview: Brentford vs. Rotherham United

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 08 January 2015

Sports Mole looks ahead to Saturday's Championship encounter between Brentford and Rotherham, who have had contrasting fortunes since coming up from League One together.

Having now faced every team in their new home of the Championship at least once, two of last season's promoted League One sides will resume hostilities when Brentford host Rotherham United on Saturday.

The two clubs have endured contrasting fortunes over the course of the 2014-15 campaign so far, with Brentford emerging as surprise contenders for the playoffs and Rotherham battling against relegation as expected.

Both sides would be happy with their position should the season end today, and Brentford boss Mark Warburton might be starting to wish that was the case having seen worrying signs from his team in recent weeks.

Following a fine run of seven wins in eight matches, the Bees come into this weekend having lost their last three in all competitions.

Two of those came in the league, which saw them drop down to the final playoff place at the turn of the year, with three points separating them from seventh-placed Norwich City.

Defeats to title-chasing Ipswich Town and playoff hopefuls Wolverhampton Wanderers would not have worried Warburton too much, but losing 2-0 at home to struggling Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup may have raised some alarm bells.

If they are to maintain their challenge for a place in the playoffs then these are the types of games that they simply must win, especially with a vastly inferior goal difference compared to the rest of the top seven.

Ipswich and Norwich are the only visiting teams to have come away from Griffin Park with a league victory this season, though, so Brentford will fancy their chances of returning to winning ways.

The first goal could well be crucial in the match considering that Brentford are the only Championship team not to have dropped points from games in which they have taken the lead, going on to win all 12.

That includes the 2-0 victory in the reverse fixture earlier this season, when the Bees scored at the end of either half to clinch the points.

Warburton will still be without the sidelined duo of Scott Hogan and Alan McCormack, but is expected to make a few changes from the FA Cup defeat.

Rotherham's own FA Cup dream appeared to be going well against Championship leaders Bournemouth at New York Stadium, but a goal for the visitors just before the break preceded a flurry of four more in 13 second-half minutes to eventually send the Millers crashing out of the competition.

That was their first defeat in seven matches, although draws have very much been the order of the day for Steve Evans's side lately.

They have picked up a point on enough occasions to keep them three away from the relegation zone, although wins have been few and far between, with just one in their last 12 league outings.

They have not beaten a team above them in the table since September, and haven't managed that feat on their travels all season, with only two away victories to their name.

They are unlikely to have Alex Revell available to help them do so this weekend as he edges ever closer to a move to Cardiff City.

Brentford:

Form in Championship: WLWWLL
Form in all competitions: LWWLLL

Possible starting lineup: Button; Odubajo, Craig, Dean, Bidwell; Diagouraga, Douglas, Jota, Pritchard, Judge; Gray

Rotherham:

Form in Championship: DDDWDD
Form in all competitions: DDWDDL

Possible starting lineup: Collin; Wootton, Morgan, Arnason, James; Ledesma, Smallwood, Green, Pringle; Lawrence, Clarke-Harris

Sports Mole says: 2-0