Millers hit by second-half goal blast ... on-the-whistle report: Rotherham United 2 Hull City 4

ROTHERHAM United's attempt to equal a six-year-old Championship best ended in misery as they were well beaten by Hull City at AESSEAL New York Stadium this afternoon.

Victory would have given them a third successive second-tier win, something they haven't achieved since the memorable survival reign of Neil Warnock back in 2016.

They went into the second period level after a quick exchange of goals on the stroke of half-time but were cut open by the visitors after the break.

Despite boss Matt Taylor's first home defeat since taking charge, the Millers remained in 11th spot.

Rotherham had an early penalty appeal for handball turned down, but it was Hull who enjoyed the edge in an uneventful start that was without a chance until the 14th minute.

Greg Docherty raced in from the right for the visitors following Jacob Greaves' cross-field pass and his shot was turned away by Viktor Johansson.

From the corner, Dimitrios Pelkas smashed an 18-yard effort over the bar.

The Millers, were struggling to get going and it was the visitors, who had been among the divisions' pace-setters early in the campaign before falling away, doing most of the pressing.

The home crowd tried to rouse their side, who were creating some of their own trouble with needless mistakes, as the Tigers remained on the attack and had tame shots from Ryan Longman and Pelkas easily dealt with by Johansson.

Rotherham sprang to life in the 24th minute and it needed a stunning stop from Nathan Baxter to deny Ben Wiles whose half-volley from Tom Eaves' header-down was speeding into the roof of the net.

Cyrus Christie's shot gave Johansson no trouble as the interval approached and the half looked like it was going to end as it had begun, with few real sights of goal at either end.

That all changed in the 44th minute when the Millers failed to clear from a corner and Jacob Greaves eventually bundled the ball over the line after a protracted goalmouth scramble.

The home team's response was pretty much instant as Shane Ferguson's perfect pass down the left picked out Dan Barlaser and the midfielder cut inside from the byline to drive a superb equaliser into the far corner from a tight angle.

Taylor had made four changes to the side that had withstood a second-half bombardment to hold out for a 1-0 victory at Stoke City in midweek.

Centre-halves Richard Wood and Lee Peltier came into the side and there were starts up front for Conor Washington and Eaves.

Grant Hall, Cameron Humphreys, Hakeem Odoffin and Georgie Kelly dropped to the bench.

Tight-angle attempts suddenly became all the rage at the start of the second half as Johansson had to beat out Pelkas' free-kick at his right post and Regan Slater rattled the woodwork at the other side of the net when the loose ball fell to him.

The Swedish keeper has been in fine form recently but minutes later he was beaten at his near post, getting a hand to Cyrus Christie's low shot but unable to deflect it wide.

He was back to his best in the 56th minute, getting down sharply to thwart Docherty who was clean through on goal. However, the visitors, who'd begun the day in 19th place, had taken control of the contest and their third goal was quick in coming.

Rotherham were being undone by midfield balls down both flanks and this time it was Greaves, released by Jean Michael Seri, making ground on the left and squaring for Ryan Longman to tap in.

Johansson came to the rescue again, stretching to palm away Slater's goalbound chip and later saved well from Docherty.

The Millers had made a raft of substitutions to try to force their way back into proceeding but it was to no available and the contest was over long before the final whistle brought a chastening afternoon to a close.

Ozan Tufan added a late fourth to rub further salt into Rotherham's wounds and a close-range consolation from sub Kelly a minute from time was too little too late.

Rotherham (3-5-2): Viktor Johansson; Wes Harding, Richard Wood, Lee Peltier (Cohen Bramall 63); Brooke Norton-Cuffy (Grant Hall 60), Ben Wiles (Scott High 60), Dan Barlaser, Ollie Rathbone (Hakeem Odoffin H-T), Shane Ferguson; Conor Washington (Georgie Kelly. 63), Tom Eaves. Subs not used: Josh Vickers, Cameron Humphreys.

Hull (4-2-3-1): Nathan Baxter; Cyrus Christie, Tobias Figueiredo, Alfie Jones, Jacob Greaves; Ryan Woods (Dogukan Sinik 89), Jean Michael Seri (Lewie Coyle 89); Greg Docherty, Dimitrios Pelkas (Ozan Tufan 63), Regan Slater (Brandon Fleming 76); Ryan Longman (Oscar Estupinan 63). Subs not used: Matt Ingram, Sean McCloughlin.

Goals: Greaves 44, Christie 52, Longman 59, Tufan 84 (Hull); Barlaser 45+1, Kelly 89 (Rotherham).

Referee: Steve Martin (Staffordshire).

Attendance: 11,220 (2,274)