"Players went missing," says angry Matt Taylor following Rotherham United derby loss to Sheffield Wednesday

The Millers, who had lost on only one of their last ten visits to Hillsborough, went into the clash against the division's bottom club with high hopes following their midweek win over Coventry City.

But they were undone by a brace from their former striker, Michael Smith, and could have lost by a much bigger margin as they turned in an abject display.

"It's about who's got the character and who's able to show you it," said Taylor. "I thought some of them really tried to stand up but there was not enough of an understanding. Some went missing.

"It's a derby, it's going to be crash, bang, wallop, so get to the ball first. Sometimes you've got to put your body on the line a little bit more than we did today."

Smith struck twice before the break after being loudly booed before kick-off by Millers fans who still haven't forgiven him for his move across the Parkway from AESSEAL New York Stadium 15 months ago.

He opened the scoring after only ten minutes and gave the home side just the start they were seeking in new boss Danny Rohl's first match in charge.

"That first goal gave them a boost we didn't need them to have and flattened us a little bit," Taylor said.

"I'm bitterly disappointed. I'm frustrated, angry, upset in so many ways that we were so poor in so many departments and so many aspects of the game, in possession and out of possession.

"We were second best in so many ways and in a derby you can't afford that. For ten minutes the match was relatively balanced, then we gave away a breakaway goal and the whole atmosphere and scenery of what the game looked like changed."

The loss left the Millers in 22nd spot, five points adrift of safety with a game in hand on the teams above them.

The victory was Wednesday's first of the campaign and Rohl said: "It was a great performance against a difficult opponent."