Debut for Grant Hall and Georgie Kelly scores again ... Crewe Alexandra 1 Rotherham United 2

The loan centre-half's loan arrival from Middlesbrough had been confirmed only four hours before kick-off and the Millers wasted no time in giving him his debut.

He acquitted himself well until making way for regular skipper Richard Wood at half-time in a contest settled by first-half efforts from Conor Washington and then Georgie Kelly who struck for the sixth time in seven friendlies to stake his claim for an opening-day role against Swansea City next Saturday.

Rotherham needed only 40 seconds to take the lead with a goal of real quality.

Jamie Lindsay lifted the ball into Ollie Rathbone who laid it off for Washington to rifle home a half-volley from the edge of the box.

The Championship Millers were superior to their League Two opponents and dominated the early stages of the contest.

Gone was the midweek lethargy seen at Doncaster Rovers as they pressed hard, pinned the home side in their own half and showed some quality in possession.

Hall made his presence felt at the back on 25 minutes, timing his tackle well to sweep the ball away from Daniel Agyei in a rare Crewe attack.

Lachlan Brook tested Millers goalkeeper Viktor Johansson with a low free-kick before Hall's head was only an inch away from connecting with Shane Ferguson's cross at the other end.

Johansson dealt out a Brook curler on the half-hour mark but it wasn't long before Rotherham doubled their advantage.

Ferguson did brilliantly to wriggle his way to the byline on the left and Kelly didn't need asking twice to nod home a perfect cross at the back post.

The Millers, being watched by around 50 travelling fans, deserved their two-goal cushion yet held on to it for only two minutes, allowing Agyei time and space for a close-range tap-in.

As well as a first outing for Hall, there were welcome returns from injury for two other players.

Wing-back Ferguson was making his first summer appearance after finally recovering from last season's foot injury while new centre-back Jamie McCart, fit again after a quad issue, was in the line-up for the first time since the opening friendly against Parkgate.

The second period was less than two minutes old when Ben Wiles had a swing from 18 yards and forced keeper Dave Richards into action.

Rotherham, having made three changes at the break, remained on top until Johansson had to dive full stretch to keep out a 59th-minute shot by Agyei.

That sparked a Crewe flurry and Johansson deflected Agyei's header on to the bar before performing even greater heroics to block Brook's follow-up.

Wood headed wide on 76 minutes amid a raft of substitutions and there were no more clear-cut openings for either team as the Millers completed their summer schedule unbeaten.

Crewe (4-1-4-1): Dave Richards; Kelvin Mellor, Rod McDonald, Luke Offord, Tariq Uwakwe; Conor Thomas; Lachlan Brook (Lewis Billington 70), Oli Finney (Basalla Sambou 58) Charlie Colkett (Regan Griffiths 58), Callum Ainley (Owen Lunt 83); Daniel Agyei. Subs not used: Tom Booth, Joel Tabiner, Billy Sass-Davies, Connor O'Riordan, Matus Holicek.

Rotherham (3-5-2): Viktor Johansson; Wes Harding (Jake Hull 75), Grant Hall (Richard Wood H-T), Jamie McCart (Cameron Humphreys H-T); Peter Kioso (Curtis Durose 75), Jamie Lindsay, Dan Barlaser (Mackenzie Warne), Ollie Rathbone (Ben Wiles 36), Shane Ferguson (Hakeem Odoffin H-T), Gergie Kelly, Conor Washington. Subs not used: Josh Vickers, Joel Holvey.

Goals: Washington 1, Kelly 39 (Rotherham); Agyei 41 (Crewe).

Referee: Robert Madley (West Yorkshire).

Attendance: 1,065.