On-the-whistle report: Rotherham United 4 Coventry City 0

Michael Smith scores his first penaty. Picture by Kerrie Beddows

The Millers had won only on their own soil but they destroyed Mark Robins' side with a swashbuckling display that brought them a standing ovation at the end.

The Sky-Blues, arriving in South Yorkshire with five wins and five draws, were reduced to ten men in the second half but were already well beaten by then.

Rotherham, showing several changes following their loss at Bristol Rovers last week, rocked their high-flying visitors by racing into a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes.

Matt Crooks powered a header under goalkeeper Marko Marosi from Michael Smith's superb right-flank cross on 13 minutes and Smith - recalled to the side and playing like he had no intention of being dropped again - soon added a second.

Six minutes after setting up Crooks, the striker was felled by Marosi in the box and picked himself up to slam home the penalty.

Coventry arrived at New York unbeaten but couldn't handle the Millers in as Paul Warne's attacked at speed and pressed in numbers.

Winger Jake Hastie could have ended the contest just after Smith's spot-kick when he was sprung clear by Michael Ihiekwe's pass but his shot was beaten away by Marosi who was relieved to see Crooks' follow-up effort blocked.

The Sky-Blues started to see more of the ball but the half ended with Hastie hitting the side-netting from another Smith cross.

Hastie sent a low, cross-goal skidder just wide within minutes of the resumption and Jamie Lindsay's shot was gathered by Marosi but Rotherham didn't have to wait much longer for goal number three.

Thirteen minutes into the second period, Smith struck from the spot for the second time after Crooks had done brilliantly to get in between Kyle McFadzean and Marosi.

The Coventry centre-half pushed the Rotherham man, was red-carded and trooped off, taking any hopes of a Sky-Blues comeback with him.

Smith just failed to connect with a Joe Mattock cross and Ben Wiles was denied by Marosi after a brilliant little run before Crooks rounded off a superb individual and team afternoon by taking advantage of a defensive mix-up to add the fourth.

The game finished with Freddie Ladapo trying his luck from an angle and Marosi saving.

Coventry's only efforts on target were a 53rd-minute shot by Matt Godden kept out by Daniel Iversen and an Amadou Bakayoko header held by the keeper near the end.

They had no answer to rampant Rotherham on a memorable New York day.

Rotherham (4-3-3): Daniel Iversen; Matt Olosunde, Michael Ihiekwe, Richard, Wood, Joe Mattock; Dan Barlaser (Shaun MacDonald 73), Jamie Lindsay, Matt Crooks; Ben Wiles, Michael Smith (Freddie Ladapo 83), Jake Hastie (Carlton Morris 79). Subs not used: Lewis Price, Billy Jones, Clark Robertson, Julien Lamy.

Coventry (4-2-1-3): Marko Marosi; Fankaty Dabo, Kyle McFadzean, Dominic Hyam, Brandon Mason; Jordan Shipley, Liam Walsh (Liam Kelly 56); Callum O'Hare; Gervane Kastaneer (Amadou Bakayoko 56), Matt Godden, Jordy Hiwula (Michael Rose 61). Subs not used: Ben Wilson, Tennai Watson, Zain Westbrooke, Sam McCallum.

Goals: Crooks 13, 76, Smith pens 19, 58 (Rotherham).

Referee: Darren Handley (Lancashire).

Attendance: 10,337 (2,567).