MATCHDAY CENTRE: Travel sickness strikes again for Millers

The losses at Aston Villa, Brighton and to a lesser extent Barnsley weren't exactly out of the blue, even though the scale of them set early alarms bells ringing.

But after a vastly improved showing against Nottingham Forest in midweek and then the opportunity — and a big one at that — to exploit the weakenesses of a low-on-confidence Blackburn side, Saturday was a big letdown.

Individual shortcomings cost the Millers dear again, just as they did at Villa Park, the Amex and Oakwell. But the other familiar flaw was the space and time afforded to the opposition to exploit, particularly out wide.

A team that started the match without a win and doubting itself ended it bursting with confidence and playing with a swagger.

From Rotherham's point of view the only consolations were up front, where Danny Ward and the blossoming Izzy Brown showed signs they're developing a good understanding.

Brown seemed to be playing Rovers on his own at times, the only player with the tools to consistently unpick a nervous Rovers defence.

The tireless Ward's two goals took his tally for the season to four and he might have had a hat-trick but for the alertness of goalkeeper Jason Steele.

It was Brown's measured ball inside the defender from which Ward slotted the opener on 11 minutes. Even though Steele did well to deny Ward moments later from yet another Brown feed, Rovers had already showed signs they could do damage.

Home debutant Marvin Emnes, on loan from Swansea, and his strike partner Sam Gallagher had the measure of the Millers centre-halves and even Alan Stubbs admitted his team could have no complaints with the equaliser, an unstoppable drive from Craig Conway.

The scorer turned provider for Emnes' crisp, low strike for 2-1 just before Joe Mattock very nearly diverted in a third before the break, Lee Camp sticking a hand out to spare the defender's blushes.

Rotherham didn't just lack leaders, they lacked concentration.

The way Rovers were allowed to work a position for Ben Marshall to curl in their third just 15 seconds into the second half was naive, the sort of defending that would get punished in League Two.

Lee Frecklington and Jerry Yates were energetic replacements for the ineffective Greg Halford and Scott Allan but overall the performance was still too often anaemic.

Two good stops from Camp and then the crossbar stopped Gallagher increasing the damage and even though Ward's header from Stephen Kelly's cross had the 734 travelling supporters scenting a point, the yellow wall was breached again for Gallagher's stoppage-time tap-in.

Back to the drawing board this week on the training ground.