Misery for shot-shy Millers ... on-the-whistle report: Cardiff City 3 Rotherham United 0

The Millers have three strikers among the players in the treatment room – including star man Sam Nombe – and have mustered only one attempt on target in their last two second third-tier outings.

They have now lost twice in a row in the league and have slipped to 18th in the early standings.

Matt Hamshaw's men were given the runaround by a City side who climbed to second spot on the back of an emphatic triumph and a new frontman can't come through the door soon enough.

The second half, in particular, was a tough watch as Rotherham conceded twice in six minutes and barely laid a glove on their opponents.

By then they were without their best centre-half so far this season, Lenny Agbaire, who was taken off at the interval, presumably with an injury.

It will rankle with the Millers that Cardiff should have been down to ten men before the break. Young Dakarai Mafico stayed on when two bookable offences in quick succession incurred only one yellow card.

Cameron Dawson was called into action in the tenth minute, getting down quickly to deny Yousef Salech after a Cardiff raid down the left where the home side had been offering a threat in the opening stages.

On a warm, blustery afternoon in South Wales, the Millers worked their way into the contest for a spell as their pressing game caused problems for the Bluebirds' defence.

However, they failed to create any clear-cut opportunities and were nearly undone by a City corner routine in the 19th minute. No-one picked up David Turnbull lurking at the edge of the area and his low first-time effort skidded just wide of Dawson's left-hand post.

The visitors escaped a penalty shout soon afterwards as Cardiff claimed Zak Jules had held back Salech as a cross came in from the left.

City took off teenage debutant Mafico who was already on a caution when he was extremely lucky not to receive another one for bringing down Dan Gore.

Just before the break, there was no-one holding or even marking Salech when he headed in the opening goal direct from Turnbull's corner.

The first half ended with the 300-plus Millers fans huddled in a corner of the ground having had little to cheer.

Rotherham, who dropped captain Joe Rafferty to the bench, had handed first starts to two of their summer signings, Dru Yearwood and Ar'Jany Martha. In the absence of Nombe, they played Jordan Hugill as a lone striker and had Martha and Dan Gore tucked in behind.

Soon after the restart, Dawson beat out a Rubin Colwill shot at his near post as Cardiff continued to dominate possession yet there was nothing he could do when Cian Ashford picked his spot from around the edge of the area and curled the ball into the far corner of the net.

Dawson denied Colwill again, parrying a low shot, but the City man didn't have to wait long for his goal, tapping in Salech's cross just after the hour-mark.

Other than for a late Marvin Kelata effort that stung Nathan Trott’s hands, the Millers remained pinned in their own half for the rest of the game as the Bluebirds continued to boss proceedings but let the sting go out of their play.

With injuries still biting hard, that opening-day win over Port Vale already feels like a long time ago.

Nombe remains Rotherham’s only player to score from open play this term.

Cardiff (4-4-1-1): Nathan Trott; Ronan Kpakio (Calum Chambers 88), Will Fish, Dylan Lawlor, Dakarai Mafico (Joel Bagan 36); Ollie Tanner, David Turnbull, Ryan Wintle, Cian Ashford (Isaak Davies 81); Rubin Colwill (Joel Colwill 81); Yousef Salech (Callum Robinson 81). Subs not used: Matt Turner, Chris Willock.

Rotherham (3-4-2-1): Cameron Dawson; Lenny Abaire (Marvin Kaleta H-T), Sean Raggett, Zak Jules; Denzel Hall, Liam Kelly (Jack Holmes 61), Dru Yearwood (James Clarke 75), Reece James; Dan Gore, Ar'Jany Martha (Ciaran McGuckin 75); Jordan Hugill. Subs not used: Ted Cann, Joe Rafferty, Kane Richardson.

Goals: Salech 43, Ashford 55, Colwill 61 (Cardiff)

Referee: Thomas Parsons (Lancashire)