A win at last as Millers find their form ... on-the-whistle report: Leyton Orient 0 Rotherham United 2

The game after the drop from League One was confirmed, the Millers delivered their best performance of Lee Clark's short managerial reign to deservedly take all three points at Leyton Orient.

It was a day of firsts - a first win in five matches under the new boss, the first goals in open play since his arrival last month.

Around 400 away fans had made the long trip to East London and they were in fine voice as their team finally showed the character that Clark had been calling into question.

The manager looked as delighted as anyone at the final whistle after goals from Harry Gray and Sam Nombe had done the damage and left the home side with relegation worries of their own.

Deft feet from Gray set up a golden ninth-minute opportunity for Ar'Jany Martha to give the visitors the lead.

The Dutchman was all alone at the back post only a couple of yards from the goalline but was left holding his head in his hands when he somehow allowed the ball to squirm behind him.

Soon afterwards, Nombe curled an effort from the edge of the penalty area over the bar as the Millers made a decent start.

Clark had made it to the match, despite severe train delays from the North-east, and was barking instructions from his technical area.

The boss had left the Millers camp on Friday night to travel to Newcastle to comfort partner Rachael following the sad death of his mother-in-law, Helen.

The Geordie was due to head home again straight after the clash, leaving number two Peter Leven to handle media duties.

Orient had in their line-up 22-goal Dom Ballard, the top scorer in the division. However, it was a forward at the other end of the pitch who opened the scoring.

Gray had been looking the best player on the pitch and in the 24th minute his low cross from the left evaded everyone and found the far corner of the net.

As the break approached, Sonny Perkins and Demetri Mitchell shot too high and Ballard saw an effort blocked for the home side as Rotherham continued to defend strongly.

Clark had promised to give youngsters a chance during the run-in and was true to his word, naming Cohen Lee and James Clarke in the starting 11 and giving 17-year-old Harrison Duncan a place on the bench.

Dru Yearwood returned to the squad after injury but Kian Spence missed out on a return even though the Millers had been hoping in the build-up to the clash that he would be back.

As ever, it was a depleted matchday 18, with a raft of players in the treatment room.

Duncan came on for his league debut while Ted Cann denied Ballard from close range as the hour mark came and went with the Millers still working hard and looking solid.

Rotherham were a threat on the break at times and Dan Gore drilled a shot wide from around 18 yards as the game entered its final quarter.

Better was to come in the 73rd minute when Jamal Baptiste flicked on a header and Gray found Clarke who slipped a pass inside for Nombe to convert and double the visitors' lead.

The Millers, full of grit and determination, comfortably protected their margin of superiority to the end and Nombe was only inches away from another goal.

If only they had shown more of such qualities when survival was still at stake.

Orient (4-2-3-1): Will Dennis; Tom James, Will Forrester (Kaelan Casey 59), Dan Happe, James Morris; Azeem Abdulai (Sean Clare H-T), Tyreeq Bakinson; Sonny Perkins (Josh Koroma H-T), Charlie Wellens (Aaron Connolly 59), Demetri Mitchell (Dylan Levitt 59); Dom Ballard. Subs not used: Killian Cahill, Michael Craig.

Rotherham (4-2-3-1): Ted Cann; Denzel Hall (Harrison Duncan 61), Emmanuel Adegboyega (Joe Rafferty H-T), Zak Jules, Jamal Baptiste; Dan Gore, Cohen Lee (Dru Yearwood 76); Ar'Jany Martha (Jack Holmes 84), James Clarke, Harry Gray; Sam Nombe. Subs not used: Ben Childs, Gabriele Biancheri, Jordan Hugill.

Goals: Gray 24, Nombe 73 (Rotherham)

Referee: James Bell (South Yorkshire)

Attendance: 7,816 (395)