Millers' comeback is in vain

A BRAVE second-half rally wasn’t enough to save Rotherham United from a fourth straight defeat at the hands of Ipswich at the AESSEAL New York Stadium.

A woeful first half saw the visitors seize a three-goal advantage and although strikes from debutant Brandon Barker and Matt Derbyshire briefly raised hopes of a comeback, Town ended 5-2 winners. Striker Daryl Murphy scored a hat-trick.

The Millers were their own worst enemies in the first half, with dreadful defending allowing Mick McCarthy’s big, powerful side to take a stranglehold.

The pattern was set inside eight minutes when Brett Pitman punished the first piece of hesitancy to  head in Luke Chambers’ cross.

Things got worse on 22 minutes. Paul Green, attempting to control, was robbed by Jonathan Douglas and the midfield man lashed in from 20 yards.

The damage could have been greater. Lee Camp did well to deny Freddie Sears and Pitman and Murphy also hit the crossbar soon after adding Ipswich’s third goal just before half time, pouncing to score after Rotherham failed to deal with a corner.

The home players walked off at half time to boos and the second half was only a minute old when Murphy held off his marker to fire across Camp and in.

Refreshed by half-time substitutes Jonson Clarke-Harris and Richie Smallwood, Rotherham needed a spark and Barker, the loan player from Manchester City, provided it when he smashed in from 25 yards in the 56th minute.

From thinking their team were down and out, the home supporters were out of their seats agan four minutes later as Derbyshire took Grant Ward’s pass and smartly clipped over goalkeeper Dan Gerken from an angle.

Ipswich looked rattled and were forced back until Murphy settled them with his hat-trick effort on 71 minutes, taking the ball on the run in to shoot in left-footed.

The result leaves Rotherham bottom of the Championship going into the international break during which manager Neil Redfearn is sure to step up his search for much-needed new blood.

Millers: Camp, Richardson, Toffolo (Buxton 86), Rawson, Collins, Grant Ward, Thorpe(Clarke-Harris 46), Green (Smallwood 46), Barker, Danny Ward, Derbyshire

Ipswich: Gerken,Chambers, Knudsen, Smith, Berra, Bru (Maitlan-Niles 66), Skuse,  Douglas, Sears (Coke 81), Murphy (Parr 90), Pitman

Referee: Darren  Drysdale (Lincs)

Attendance: 9,162 (1,019 visitors)