Cracking Christmas win for Millers

The Millers turned on the style in the second half to win 4-0 with strikes from Grant Ward, Danny Ward, Joe Newell and substitute Jonson Clarke-Harris. It also completed back to back wins for Neil Redfearn’s men and lifts them out of the Championship's bottom three.

While Bolton were poor, they held Rotherham in check in a mostly dreary first half and it took a good close-range save by Lee Camp from Zach Clough to stop them going in front.

Wanderers stopper Ben Amos also did well to foil Newell and Danny Ward but was exposed when the Millers upped their game in the second half

They made the breakthrough 11 minutes in. Tony Andreu played a corner straight to Grant Ward on the edge of the penalty area and his drive was palmed into the net by the flailing Amos.

Rotherham needed a second goal to make sure and Amos foiled them with a stunning reflex save from Kirk Broadfoot’s point blank header. However the advantage was doubled on 74 minutes when Newell played Danny Ward through and although he was forced wide, he did well to clip the ball in from an angle. It was the striker’s first goal of the season.

Another smart stop from Amos prevented Joe Mattock adding a third but it did arrive nine minutes from time when Newell broke through to calmly roll home.

Bolton were demoralised by this point and it was no surprise when they conceded again as their back line was once more cut open and Clarke-Harris rattled in with aplomb.

Rotherham will now go in search of a hat-trick of wins at Fulham on Tuesday.

Millers: Camp, Richardson, Mattock, Rawson, Broadfoot, Grant Ward, Smallwood, Frecklington,  Newell (Green 90), Andreu, Danny Ward (Clarke-Harris 80)

Bolton: Amos, Moxey, Dervite, Feeney, Wheater , Spearing (Silva 62), Danns, Heskey (Madine 47), Pratley, Holding, Clough

Referee: Geoff Eltringham

Attendance: 11,315 (1,783 visitors)