Run ends in miserable fashion ... on-the-whistle report: Rotherham United 0 Blackpool 3

On a night like this, however, very little was looking festive for Rotherham United.

Their nine-match unbeaten run in League One came to an end against opposition that had kicked off in the drop zone and, already hit by injuries, they lost two more men during their second home third-tier reverse of the campaign.

Blackpool did their damage early in the first half, when they scored both of their goals, and a late third meant that a dominant display from the Millers after the interval was in vain.

The defeat dropped them a place in the table to 15th, seven points away from the play-off reckoning.

They twice hit the woodwork but a goal wouldn't come.

Rotherham found themselves behind after just 90 seconds when Joe Powell's poor defending and Cameron Dawson's failure to protect his near post saw Danny Imray score with a low shot from a tight angle.

A defensive error at the other end almost let in the home side for an equaliser soon afterwards but Jordan Hugill couldn't quite react quickly enough when James Husband let Ar'Jany Martha's cross squirm through him.

The Millers continued to press and Josh Benson clipped a first-time effort just wide as he latched on to Powell's left-flank delivery.

However, the visitors were also looking lively in attack and, after Dawson had kept out a Josh Bowler attempt, they went further ahead when a quick break presented Tom Bloxham with a comfortable 18th-minute finish.

Rotherham hadn't lost to the Seasiders in the last 14 matches between the two clubs – a run stretching back to 1997 – but they had it all to do now to force their way back into the contest.

There were empty seats around New York as some home fans chose to give a pre-Christmas midweek clash a miss and Blackpool brought only a sparse following.

Jordan Hugill headed a Powell cross over the bar before the Millers lost Reece James to a head knock and Jamal Baptiste returned to the fray after injury.

The Millers, having have a let-off when Imray shot too high from dangerman Josh Bowler's supply, wasted a golden 38th-minute chance to narrow the deficit as half-time approached

Benson picked out Kian Spence who had time and space to pick his spot but could only direct a tame volley too close to goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

Hamish Douglas smacked the woodwork and Denzel Hall uncharacteristically slashed the follow up off target as half-time approached, leaving Rotherham with much to do after the break.

Their interval concerns were compounded by the all-too-familiar sight of Benson limping off, to be replaced by Marvin Kaleta, just before the referee blew to end the opening period.

Manager Matt Hamshaw, still lacking nearly all of his senior strikers because of injuries, had named the side that had started the last home game – the 1-1 draw with Wycombe Wanderers on November 29.

A welcome sight among the substitutes had been Baptiste and Kaleta who were back in the squad after a hamstring-tendon issue and a groin problem respectively – the latter only attacking option on a bench top-heavy with centre-backs.

In the Blackpool team was New York old boy Michael Ihiekwe who incurred the wrath of Millers supporters back in 2022 for the manner in which he left to join South Yorkshire neighbours Sheffield Wednesday.

Rotherham were almost back in the game within two minutes of the restart when Kaleta combined superbly with Martha and topped off a driving run with a shot that Peacock-Farrell turned on to a post.

Spence whipped a free-kick wide and Hall wasn't too far away with a hooked volley as the Millers went towards the North Stand.

Dawson prevented Bowler from killing off the match with an instinctive save in the 56th minute

Rotherham continued to push and Peacock-Farrell went into the referee's notebook for time-wasting and Spence stung the keeper's hands from distance.

Despite some slick build-up play, the Millers foundered too often as they reached the penalty area as their lack of frontline strength told, allowing a nervous visiting defence some respite.

With seven minutes of the regulation 90 remaining, Blackpool broke, Dawson and Thomas Holmes got themselves in a tangle and Ashley Fletcher tapped into a empty net.

The keeper then did well to deny CJ Hamilton, but the third goal had been a bit of a present on an un-Christmassy evening.

Rotherham (3-4-3): Cameron Dawson; Joe Rafferty, Hamish Douglas (Thomas Holmes H-T), Reece James (Jamal Baptiste 28); Denzel Hall, Dan Gore, Kian Spence, Joe Powell; Ar'Jany Martha, Jordan Hugill, Josh Benson (Marvin Kaleta 45+4). Subs not used: Ted Cann, Sean Raggett, Dru Yearwood, Liam Kelly.

Blackpool (3-5-2): Bailey Peacock-Farrell; Michael Ihiekwe, Fraser Horsfall, James Husband (Zac Ashworth 81); Danny Imray (Andy Lyons 62), Josh Bowler (Albie Morgan 62), Jordan Brown (Lee Evans 84), George Honeyman, Hayden Coulson; Tom Bloxham (CJ Hamilton 81), Ashley Fletcher. Subs not used: Scott Banks, Emil Hansson.

Goals: Imray 2, Bloxham 18, Fletcher 83 (Blackpool)

Referee: Neil Hair (Cambridgeshire)

Attendance: 7,367 (277)