MATCH REPORT: Five-star Millers slam Oldham

Kieffer Moore scored twice, Michael Ihiekwe bagged a first for the club and further strikes from substitutes Anthony Forde and Jerry Yates sealed a 5-1 win, with four of the goals coming in the last 16 minutes.

It took the Millers’ home goals tally to 18 in five league games at the AESSEAL New York Stadium and was their third success on the spin there.

The picture had looked different in the first half when the defenders at both ends looked uncomfortable and the teams couldn't be separated.

Ben Purrington, standing in for the suspended Joe Mattock, forced a flying save before Ihiekwe gave Rotherham the perfect platform after only eight minutes, nodding in after Kieffer Moore’s header came off the crossbar.

The home supporters expected the Millers to push on from that but it didn’t materialise and it was their vulnerabilty to balls into the box, seen so often this season, that cost them again on 20 minutes. Jack Byrne whipped in a corner and Craig Davies got in ahead of his man to steer in the equaliser. It was the fifth successive game in which the experienced Oldham striker has scored.

The equaliser lifted the visitors and they should have taken the lead when Tope Abadayi, played in behind the home defence, lashed wide when it looked easier to score.

Rotherham came out with much more purpose at the start of the second half and Moore twice cursed his luck, just failing to connect with a cross from the lively Taylor and then being denied by the finger tips of Jack Ruddy.

Oldham weathered the hot spell but were blown away by two goals in five minutes from the Millers’ leading scorer.

The first came on 74 minutes. Richie Towell split the visitors’ back line with a best pass of the afternoon and after Ryan Williams’ shot was blocked, Moore was on hand to mop up.

Oldham had only just digested that blow when Moore rose high to in from Joe Newell’s corner to make it 3-1.

The visitors crumbled after that. Newell’s mazy run opened the way for Forde to guide in the fourth goal and the scorer then turned creator, nodding down for Yates to gleefully smash in.

Oldham follow Southend and Walsall in shipping five at the NYS this season, the ground rapidly becoming a fortress.

The latest win takes Rotherham up to eighth.

Millers: Rodak; Vaulks, Ihiekwe, Wood, Purrington; Williams, Frecklington, Potter, Towell (Forde 80), Taylor (Newell 61), Moore (Yates 83)

Oldham: Ruddy, Gerrard, Clarke, Edmundson; McLaughlin (Dummigan 32), Nepomuceno, Byrne, Gardner (Omrani 62), Bryan; Davies, Obadeyi (Menig 62)

Referee: John Brookes (Leicestershire)

Attendance: 8,250 (825 visitors)