More woe for Millers ... on-the-whistle report: Millwall 3 Rotherham United 0

Having been as high as eighth in September, the 21st-placed Millers are a point above the bottom three and their goal difference is taking a battering in a run of only one win in 12 outings.

The last victory under Matt Taylor came in November and the job of the new manager is being made even harder by the number of first-team men he has missing.

Depleted Rotherham, who would have gone down by a much bigger margin without the heroics of goalkeeper Viktor Johansson at The New Den, have six players in the treatment room.

They looked lost as they struggled to embrace the new possession-based passing approach Taylor is trying to introduce.

It was always going to be a difficult afternoon and the depleted Millers did themselves no favours by falling behind with only three minutes and 18 seconds on the clock.

Callum Styles floated in a free-kick from the left and Tom Bradshaw, a transfer target for the Millers back in 2016, nodded home at the back post.

The play-off-chasing home side controlled proceedings and Viktor Johansson was called into action on 18 minutes to save Zion Flemming's shot.

Styles brought a sharp stop from the Rotherham keeper and then fed Bradshaw who wasted  a golden chance to make it 2-0 by firing over the bar from close range.

The Millers' travelling faithful of around 400 fans, huddled together behind the goal in the away end, were being given little to cheer about.

The home side continued to dominate and Johansson had to spread himself at the back post to keep out George Honeyman's header before managing to parry Andreas Voglsammer's flick from the resulting corner.

In a rare Rotherham break, Shane Ferguson threatened against the club for whom he made more than 200 appearances between 2015 and 2021, down the left.

His twinkling feet allowed him to deliver a pinpoint cross that teed up Hakeem Odoffin who got in a header only to direct it too close to keeper Bartosz Bialkowski.

The Millers had hardly been in the game yet should have been level just before the break when Dan Barlaser's pass picked out Conor Washington in the penalty area.

The striker took the ball around Bialkowski to create an open net but lashed his effort wide to the raucous delight of the home crowd.

On an afternoon where chances against good opposition were going to be at a premium, Rotherham couldn't afford to miss one like that.

Skipper Richard Wood had come back into the team in defence and there was a first start in more than two months for wing-back Ferguson on the left flank following his recovery from a groin injury.

Those missing through various ailments were forwards Chiedozie Ogbene, Tom Eaves and Georgie Kelly, midfielder Ben Wiles and centre-halves Grant Hall and Lee Peltier.

Soon after the interval, the Millers put together a good passing move that ended with Odoffin's shot failing to match the quality of the build-up and going out for a throw-in.

Millwall turned the screw again and more Johansson brilliance foiled Bradshaw and Danny McNamara before Bradshaw headed narrowly wide.

A second Lions goal was coming and not even a keeper in the form of the Swede could do anything about it when it arrived.

Bradshaw took aim from 20 yards and his 66th-minute shot took a huge deflection off Cameron Humphreys to find the net.

Johansson then saved well from Voglsammer but Bradshaw was on hand to tap in for his hat-trick.

The game petered to its conclusion with Rotherham, in approach and personnel, looking a shadow of the side that had inspired such optimism before the World Cup break.

Millwall (4-3-2-1): Bartosz Bialkowski; Danny McNamara, Shaun Hutchinson, Jake Cooper, Murray Wallace; George Honeyman (Romain Esse 82), Billy Mitchell, Callum Styles (George Saville 72); Zian Flemming (Jamie Shackleton 88), Andreas Voglsammer (Tyler Burey 82); Tom Bradshaw (Benik Ofobe 82). Subs not used: Connal Trueman, Charlie Cresswell.

Rotherham (3-5-1-1): Viktor Johansson; Wes Harding, Richard Wood, Cameron Humphreys; Peter Kioso (Brooke Norton-Cuffy 67), Jamie Lindsay, Dan Barlaser, Hakeem Odoffin, Shane Ferguson (Cohen Bramall 67); Ollie Rathbone; Conor Washington. Subs: Robbie Hemfrey, Jamie McCart, Hamish Douglas, Jake Hull, Tolaji Bola.

Goals: Bradshaw 4, 66, 81 (Millwall).

Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey).