Huddersfield Town 3 Rotherham United 0: Notable nights for Will Alves & Marcus McGuane as Millers slump to seventh straight loss

It might still be several days off, but - heading into this particular Yorkshire derby - rival managers Lee Grant and Matt Hamshaw were entitled to be fairly low already. Never mind blue Monday.

Both needed a boost and it was the Huddersfield Town chief who received it. Not his opposite number.

Only the EFL Trophy maybe, but only two wins from Wembley now for the Terriers - who have lined up a move for Plymouth Argyle wing-back Bali Mumba - after this comfortable 3-0 triumph.

By contrast, it constituted a seventh successive reverse for the beleaguered Millers in this last-16 tie. The season has descended into a pure fight for League One survival and that’s the sole aim now for Hamshaw.

There were no plusses, but several passengers, especially in the opening half. Rotherham desperately need some key players back – Sam Nombe wasn’t risked on the night - and work in the window before February 2 and Hamshaw needs to keep his fingers crossed as well.

After a hard first half of January which had seen Town’s code-breaker in Leo Castledine depart the West Riding for the North Riding and Town suffer late pain against Stockport County and Exeter City, the sight of an attacking midfielder shine in the area of the pitch where Castledine had excelled was a welcome one for the hosts.

In his first start since September 20, fit-again Leicester City loanee Will Alves looked the part.

The only downside was the sight of him coming off with a knock on the hour mark. But it didn’t look too disconcerting.

Certainly in the first half, his touch, close control, low centre of gravity and ability to cut inside and strike the ball was not a million miles away from Castledine.

His opener on 36 minutes was a beauty. After Cam Ashia won the ball back too easily down the Millers’ suspect right-hand side, he slotted in Marcus McGuane.

The fact that McGuane, in just his second appearance of the season and first since mid-August and his maiden start, applied the cute disguised pass to find Alves was also worthy of note. McGuane got a full first-half under his belt.

Alves’ touch and fine curled finish was classy.

Five minutes later, an encore arrived. Alves again cut inside from the left and left Shaun McWilliams for dead before unleashing a sumptuous curler, which was tipped onto the woodwork by Ted Cann.

Backing up, Lasse Sorensen nodded home the rebound.

The Millers made six changes to their starting line-up, with Lenny Agbaire returning to the fray for his first outing since early November.

Town went further with seven. Joe Taylor came in for his first start since December 2 and was paired up top with Alfie May.

Rotherham had hit 14 goals in their four previous trophy games this term, including seven in their last win of any description at Salford. Here, the competition was not so benevolent.

Town gradually took control in the first half and had an outlet down the left in Ashia and a bottle of pop in Alves, whose previous goal for the club had arrived in early September.

A warning shot saw him fire over after Agbaire’s inattentiveness. Ashia then wriggled past the toiling James Clarke close to the dead-ball line and fired at Cann from a narrow angle.

Only a heavy touch then let down Ashia, allowing Sean Raggett to make a saving block. There wasn't any respite as Alves soon struck sweetly and Sorensen added a second before the interval in front of a sparse crowd.

With the game’s outcome looking nailed bar the shouting, the second half was quieter from a Town perspective.

The sight of Mickel Miller making his own return was a positive and the hosts retained plenty of control.

The Millers’ have bigger fights to come, much bigger.

They applied themselves better at least on the resumption. But they also looked like a side who had scored just twice in their previous six outings and had minimal threat at the business end.

May and Miller missed gilt-edged late chances before a quality curler from Ashia eventually added the gloss for Town.

Huddersfield Town: Nicholls; Balker (Roosken 75), Wallace, Feeney; Sorensen, Harness (Gooch 75), McGuane (Ledson HT), Ashia; Alves (Miller 60); May, Taylor. Substitutes unused: Alnwick, Charles, Radulovic.

Rotherham United: Cann; Agbaire, Raggett (Rafferty 65), Jules; Clarke, McWilliams (Hatton 75), Yearwood, Holmes; Martha (Gardner 82); Hugill (Ayres 65), Etete (Baptiste HT). Substitutes unused: Dawson.

Referee: S Parkinson.