TOMMY Elphick bagged his first goal of the season to pave the way for Cherries to claim a deserved 2-0 win at Rotherham today.

Skipper Elphick headed home a Charlie Daniels free-kick to give Eddie Howe’s men the lead on the stroke of half-time at the New York Stadium.

And Callum Wilson capped an eventful individual display when he netted his 14th goal of the season to double the visitors’ advantage after 62 minutes.

See all of our pictures from the game in a gallery here.

Earlier, Wilson had seen his first-half effort controversially chalked off for a mysterious foul, while the striker also had a strong penalty shout turned down after the break.

Victory, Cherries’ eighth away league win this season, ensured Howe’s team would maintain pole position in the Championship.

Goalkeeper Lee Camp was drafted in for his first start in the Championship since September after Artur Boruc had been ruled out due to a neck injury.

Matt Ritchie’s early effort was charged down following a well-worked Brett Pitman free-kick before Jack Barmby blazed high over the crossbar for the Millers.

Cherries thought they had opened the scoring through Callum Wilson in the seventh minute but his strike was ruled out for a foul on Millers defender Zeki Fryers.

Another intricate move from Cherries ended with Harry Arter’s shot being blocked before Paul Green wasted a great chance to test Camp.

The midfielder was afforded a free header from Barmby’s cross but failed to make good contact from close range and saw his weak effort go over the top.

Ritchie fired narrowly wide of the upright following a neat exchange of passes with Arter before Marc Pugh’s looping header bounced the wrong side of the post.

Cherries fashioned another opportunity when Pugh broke but, after Wilson had let fly having latched on to his cross, Millers goalkeeper Adam Collin saved with his legs. Barmby, son of former Spurs star Nicky Barmby, went close to drawing first blood for the hosts when his left-foot strike flashed past the post in the 42nd minute.

Elphick broke the deadlock when he outjumped the Millers defence to meet a Charlie Daniels free-kick on the stroke of half-time.

Rotherham boss Steve Evans, clearly unhappy with Stephen Martin’s decision to award Cherries a free-kick, made his way on to the pitch after the official had blown for the interval.

But Daniels, Pugh and Pitman intervened as the fiery Scotsman approached the referee, the trio of Cherries players doing their bit to defuse the situation.

Cherries were denied what appeared to be a cast-iron penalty when Wilson was sent sprawling by Collin five minutes into the second half but referee Martin was having none of it.

Conor Newton, on as a 56th-minute substitute for Barmby, met a cross from the right with his first touch, only for his shot to strike team-mate Green.

Leading goalscorer Wilson doubled Cherries’ lead after 62 minutes when he pounced on the loose ball from close range following a frantic scramble.

The striker was on hand to convert his 14th goal of the season after Rotherham had failed to deal with a cross which Daniels had driven into the six-yard box.

Pitman’s thunderous free-kick fizzed past the upright as Cherries went in search of a third before Steve Cook’s heroic block prevented Green’s piledriver from testing Camp.

Cherries: Camp, Francis, Cook, Elphick, Daniels, Ritchie (Kermorgant, 90), Arter, Surman, Pugh (Smith, 90), Wilson (Gosling, 79), Pitman.

Unused subs: Stanislas, Fraser, O’Kane, Flahavan (g/k).

Booked: Surman, Daniels.

Millers: Collin, Richardson, Arnason, Morgan, Fryers (Milsom, 56), Barmby (Newton, 56), Green, Smallwood, Hammill, Sammon, Ward (Bowery, 75).

Unused subs: Broadfoot, Pringle, Derbyshire, Thompson (g/k).

Booked: Arnason, Smallwood, Milsom, Hammill.

Referee: Stephen Martin (Staffordshire).

Attendance: 9,157 (including 624 away supporters).