Rotherham 1 Cardiff City 3: No case for the defence as Millers slide at home
It followed a first-half demolition of the Millers by the Bluebirds, who made it four unbeaten on the road and benefited from some generous defending to score three times in 11 minutes before the break.
Bruno Ecuele Manga, Federico Macheda and Conor McAleny did the damage before Rotherham’s improved showing after the break saw them grab a late consolation through Danny Ward.
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Hide AdThe Millers’ disappointment was softened by Millwall’s defeat at Middlesbrough, meaning they remain six points above the drop zone after a first home loss in five.
On the back of a vital win against Millwall on Saturday, the Millers came into the game with lifted spirits and they started the better, with Matt Derbyshire having a goal ruled out for offside in the 10th minute.
But the Bluebirds sprang into life and stunned their hosts with two goals in two minutes with their first efforts on goal.
The first came in the 24th minute when Manga was left unmarked at a corner to power home a header from six yards out.
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Hide AdWith their next attack, Macheda sweetly volleyed home from over his shoulder.
The visitors were then gifted a decisive third by some more slapdash defending in the 35th minute when, after two failed clearances McAleney was allowed time to slam home.
Cardiff were forced to change goalkeepers at the interval, with Simon Moore coming on for David Marshall, but the Millers’ still lacked acutting edge.
Instead it was the Bluebirds who looked the likeliest to add to their lead, with home goalkeeper Adam Collin producing a fine double save to deny Aron Gunnarsson and then Alex Revell. The Millers finally had something to cheer when Ward headed home Hammill’s cross five minutes later.
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Hide AdRotherham United: Collin, Hunt, Broadfoot, Arnason, Fryers, Newton (Hammill 46), Green, Smallwood, Pringle, Ward, Derbyshire (Sammon 59). Unused substitues: Frecklington, Milsom, Richardson, Clarke-Harris, Thompson.
Cardiff City: Marshall (Moore 46), Peltier, Morrison, Ecuele, Manga, Connolly, Kennedy, Gunnarsson, Ralls, Macheda (Doyle 71), Revell (Jones 86), McAleny. Unused substitues: Da Silva, Noone, O’Keefe, Harris.
Referee: James Adcock (Nottinghamshire).