Super Millers win at Birmingham

A first-half strike from Matt Derbyshire and a first for the club from Norwich City loan man Tony Andreu sealed a richly deserved 2-0 win at St Andrews, their second three-pointer on the spin. It was also the Millers’ first victory there since 1966.

City looked like to be suffering a hangover from their cup defeat to local rivals Aston Villa in midweek and were fortunate not to suffer more damage.

Playing the better stuff throughout the first half hour, the Millers served warning when Jonson Clarke-Harris forced Tomasz Kuszczak into a good stop from 20 yards and then Joe Newell had him at full stretch.

The breakthrough came just past the half-hour mark. Newell played the ball in from the left and  Derbyshire latched onto it and despatched a sweet angled finish into the far corner of the net.

The Blues talented attacking trio of Clayton Donaldson, Demarai Gray and David Cotterill were offered only fleeting glimpses of the goal in the first period and walked off to boos from the frustrated home crowd.

Their attacking play had more bite and purpose after the break, with Donaldson very nearly converting Gray’s cross at the far post, but Steve Evans' men defended well and doubled their advantage on 64 minutes when the ball broke in the area for Andreu to steer past Kuszczak.

The goal knocked the stuffing out of the home side and the Millers were able to absorb pressure and hit on the break. Derbyshire and Andreu went close to adding further gloss to the score and Newell stung the palms of Kuszczak in stoppage time as they saw out the win with relative comfort.

Birmingham: Kuszczak, Caddis, Grounds, Morrison, Spector, Kieftenbeld (Shinnie 61), Gleeson, Toral (Maghoma 61), Cotterill (Brock-Madsen 73), Gray, Donaldson

Millers: Camp, Buxton, Mattock, Rawson, Collins (capt), Odjidja-Ofoe, Smallwood, Andreu (Grant Ward 80) Newell, Derbyshire (Maguire 88), Clarke-Harris (Danny Ward 72)

Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northants)

Attendance: 17,307 (878 visitors)