'I'm a little bit embarrassed because that display doesn't sum up our season' ... the story of Derby County 6 Rotherham United 1

This wasn't Rotherham United, this wasn't the team of fighters who have given nearly every side in the Championship a tough time this season.

This was wretched.

After months of defying the odds and staying competitive in a compelling survival battle, the Millers, shorn of more than a third of their first-choice side by injury, suspension and a bug in the camp, suffering the kind of drubbing they have done so well to avoid for so long.

Seven Derby attempts on target, countless other chances missed, six goals and the worst league loss since an afternoon of the same scoreline at Cambridge United in 2000.

Manager Paul Warne took an age to emerge from the dressing room afterwards. When he did, speaking pitchside as grounds staff took brushes to the surface where his men had just been swept away, he didn't hide from the truth.

"I don't even think 6-1 flattered them, if I'm truly honest," he said.

"I'm disappointed, obviously, and I'm a little bit embarrassed because that display doesn't sum up our season. That isn't how we are. 

"We're playing against a team with three England internationals on their bench. I'm well aware of what we're up against. I still expect us to be better than that."

Midfielder Will Vaulks and left-back Joe Mattock were missing because of bans, frontman Michael Smith was missing though infection and centre-half Clark Robertson missing as he protected a tight hamstring.

What was also  missing was the Millers' usual togetherness. At one point in the first half, frustrated teammates Jerry Yates and Jon Taylor almost squared up to each other.

"There has been a lot of illness," Warne revealed. "Smudge (Smith) can hardly breathe. He was on the bench today but in vision only. He was never coming on. Zak (right-back Vyner) has been bad. It's been knocking through a few of them."

"Having a bad chest might affect how much energy you've got in your legs. It doesn't make you give the ball away when it's at your feet."

Warne has spoken all year of how proud he is of his players yet there was anything but pride at Pride Park.

THE MATCH

It almost started so well as Ryan Williams hit the post for the Millers after just five minutes. Only not in the conventional sense.

The recalled attacker, in his attempt to reach Joe Newell's inviting low cross, clattered into the woodwork and required lengthy treatment.

Millers Man of the Match Joe Newell

Derby led eight minutes later as Martyn Waghorn converted a spot-kick awarded for Ben Wiles' trip on Mason Mount and, after Semi Ajayi had seen his close-range prod from Newell's corner come back off the line, headers in quickfire succession from Ashley Johnson and Waghorn close to half-time killed the contest.

"I think the first one was a penalty. I didn't have any argument with that," Warne said. "The second one I had a massive argument with. It was blatantly offside.

"Up to then, it was a pretty even game. Every time we went in the final third it looked like we were going to score and every time they got in their final third I thought they were going to score. Unfortunately, they got in their final third a lot more than we did ours."

The second half was a long, hard watch as the slick, quick Rams went forward as surely as the clocks would do later the same weekend.

Mount drove in Jayden Bogle's cross, Richard Wood's power-header from Newell's corner was a rare moment of Millers' respite, Duane Holmes applied a close-range finish and Waghorn completed his hat-trick and the rout after Marek Rodak had needlessly tugged at Tom Lawrence's foot.

Whether they were ill or not, every Rotherham starter except Newell was off-colour. The winger's killer free-kick required a Kelle save from Roos and he also hit the bar with an exquisite chip.

Warne gave his diagnosis on his sickly side: "The 'simples' today, we weren't very good at. We gave the ball away too many times too easily and Derby are just going to cut you open. 

"It wasn't a good time to be playing a good side. We had key men out and they had all theirs coming back. 

"The lads who have played the majority of the games this season for us, they've been pretty consistent. We missed a few of them today, that's for sure."

Yates toiled in Smith's lone-striker role as the lack of January recruitment came back to bite.

The manager pleaded the fifth amendment when asked what had been said in the changing room following the final whistle.

Richard Wood scores

"I'd like to keep it a little bit private," he said, "We'll come in on Monday and go through the clips, the good and the bad, and hopefully they will learn from it. Nobody can have any complaint if I don't play them next week.

"I'm not ripping them apart. What's the point? They're good kids. They want to do well. I want the lads to stay together. 

"I've left the clipboard there with a pen. If they've got anything they want to say but not to my face then they can write it down and I'll read it all when I go back in."

WHAT NEXT?

Richard Wood was next up for media duties, putting on a tracksuit top against the dropping temperature and a brave face against the defeat.

"Everything that could go wrong did go wrong," the captain said. "It was just one of those days. We've got to stay positive, try to erase this from our minds as quickly as possible and focus on the last seven games.

"I think we have done well all season. There haven't been many games like this one today. We've competed in most games. We have to remember that and not worry too much about this one, even though that's difficult after losing 6-1."

Ryan Williams about to come into contact with the frame of the goal

Relegation rivals Millwall losing helped, Reading winning didn't. A draw was just fine by Wigan Athletic. The Millers remain third from bottom, only a point behind the Lions but with their goal difference having shipped heavy damage.

Warne said: "At the start of the season everyone had us to go down, in the middle of the season everyone had us to go down and after today's result all the teams around us will think that that is us done. I don't believe that. 

"I can't legislate for people missing headers and tackles. That wasn't acceptable. I need to see a response in training this week."

Nottingham Forest at home on Saturday suddenly assumes even greater significance.

Vaulks, Mattock, Smith and Robertson - major figures all - are likely to be back.

Thankfully, that makes the prognosis for Rotherham much healthier.

Derby (4-3-3): Kelle Roos; Jayden Bogle, Richard Keogh, Fikayo Tomori, Scott Malone; Mason Mount, Bradley Johnson, Duane Holmes; Harry Wilson, Martyn Waghorn, Tom Lawrence. Unused: Scott Carson, Andre Wisdom, Craig Bryson, Tom Huddlestone.

Subs: Mason Bennett (for Mount, 76), Ashley Cole (for Malone, 76), Jack Marriott (for Waghorn, 81).

Rotherham (4-4-1-1): Marek Rodak; Zak Vyner, Michael Ihiekwe, Richard Wood, Billy Jones; Jon Taylor, Ben Wiles, Semi Ajayi, Joe Newell; Ryan Williams; Jerry Yates. Unused: Lewis Price, Matt Palmer, Michael Smith, Joshua Kayode.

Subs: Matt Crooks (for Wiles, H-T), Richie Towell (for Taylor, H-T), Anthony Forde (for Yates, 78).

Goals: Waghorn 13 (pen)  42, 71 (pen), Johnson 40, Mount 48, Holmes 62 (Derby); Wood 53 (Rotherham).

Referee: Tim Robinson (West Sussex).

Attendance: 27,003 (1,420).