Player ratings and match stats from Preston North End 3 Rotherham United 0

​Millers (4-2-3-1)

Viktor Johansson: 6

Made one superb save just before the break but, other than that, was a little off his game.

Lee Peltier: 5

Arguably his least decisive performance in a Millers shirt on his return from injury. Contributed to Preston's second goal with an uncharacteristic poor pass.

Hakeem Odoffin: 6

At fault for the opener but put in a succession of important blocks and was the pick of the Millers players on a bad day.

Cameron Humphreys: 5

Not the Cam we know at the moment. Nowhere near his best form. Has lost some of that smooth assurance.

Seb Revan: 5

One of the bright spots of a dark season but struggled to get going in defence or attack at Deepdale.

Jamie Lindsay: 5

Competed. He always does. But he couldn't halt the home side's flow. You can tell this season, and what Rotherham have become, is hurting him.

Sam Clucas: 5

Flashes of quality on the ball but fairly ineffectual for much of the contest.

Sam Nombe: 5

Played out of position on the right flank. One of the players still putting in a true shift. Worked hard and ran hard - I seem to write that every week - but without much end product.

Ollie Rathbone: 5

Another Miller who always gives his all, but he couldn't work his way into this game.

Cafu: 2

Taken off at the break having made absolutely no use of all that talent he has. Can do it when he's in the mood. Far too often he isn't. He let the fans down.

Charlie Wyke: 4

Struggles at Championship level. Gave Preston nothing to worry about.

The subs

Cohen Bramall (for Cafu H-T): 5

Made good ground a couple of times in a lost cause.

Andy Rinomhota (for Rathbone 68): 5

Tried to get involved as North End eased down a couple of gears and were content to just pass the ball around.

Tom Eaves (for Wyke 68): 4

Put in a similar performance to the man he replaced.

Shane Ferguson (for Peltier 78): NA

Delivered a couple of crosses and was neat in possession. The Millers needed him earlier in the season.

Femi Seriki (for Revan 86): NA

Messed up a decent sight of goal during his late cameo.

Not used: Dillon Phillips, Arvin Appiah, Ben Hatton.

Preston (3-4-1-2): Freddie Woodman 6; Jordan Storey 7 (Jack Whatmough 61, 6), Liam Lindsay 7, Andrew Hughes 7; Duane Holmes 7 (Josh Seary 86), Alan Browne 7, Ali McCann 7 (Noah Mawene 77), Robbie Brady 6 (Kian Best 61, 6); Mads Frokjaer 7; Will Keane 6 (Layton Stewart 77), Emil Riis 8. Subs not used: Dai Cornell, Greg Cunningham, Ben Woodburn, Milutin Osmajic.

Goals: Holmes 22, Riis 37, 42 (Preston).

Referee: Stephen Martin (Staffordshire).

Attendance: 15,470.

Opposition view

“I thought the performance was fantastic. We, potentially, could have scored a couple more in the first half. It is just about winning games at this time and we've done that.

“I said to the players beforehand that it was about attitude and application against a team who've got nothing to play for really.

“It could've been a banana skin for the group and, to be fair to them, they didn't allow that to happen.

“We were on the front foot, there were some good passages of play and we scored some good goals."

“In the second half, the high-intensity runs probably stopped a bit, but I don't mind that when you are 3-0 up and it hopefully saves a bit of energy for Monday. I think I have got to be happy with three goals, a clean sheet and three points.”

- Preston boss Ryan Lowe

The stats

Possession: Preston 62 per cent, Millers 38

Goal attempts: Preston 18, Millers 7

On target: Preston 5, Millers 3

Corners: Preston 2, Millers 2

Fouls: Preston 13, Millers 13