Oxford 0 Rotherham 4: First-half goal spree allows Millers to turn up the pressure on rivals

Rotherham United sent a warning to their promotion rivals with a stunning win over in-form Oxford.

The team who had toppled high-flying Gillingham and Port Vale in the past week were second-best from start to finish in what was a huge confidence booster for Steve Evans’s men ahead of the final run-in for the automatic promotion places.

They did the damage in the first half as David Noble, Kari Arnason, Johnny Mullins and Ben Pringle all found the net in a 14-minute spell.

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After a tight opening half-hour, Noble’s deflected shot from distance broke the deadlock before Arnason’s glancing header made it 2-0 three minutes later.

With Oxford seemingly confused, a slick move saw Lee Frecklington tee-up captain Mullins to drive in his second goal in as many games and the hosts’ embarrassment deepened when Pringle pounced from close range a minute before the interval. With three valuable points all but secured, the Millers were content to close the match out in the second half.

Former Rotherham man Michael Raynes had to clear from under his own posts to prevent Frecklington adding a fifth goal while goalkeeper Andy Warrington was rarely tested by the home side. Many of the home supporters had headed for the exits by the time Arnason popped up to deny Oxford a consolation goal with a well-timed clearance.

Rotherham are now unbeaten in six games and the result takes them up to fourth place in the table.

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Oxford: McCormick, Batt, Davis, Raynes, Duberry (Parker 46), Wright, Potter, Whing (Capaldi 75), Heslop (Davies 46), Rigg, Smalley. Unused Substitutes: Constable, Worley, Craddock, Crocumbe.

Rotherham United: Warrington, Mullins, Ridehalgh, Davis (Bradley 51), Arnason, Noble, O’Connor, Pringle, Nardiello (Agard 66), Frecklington, Revell (Odejayi 78). Unused Substitutes: Thompson, Slew, Morgan.

Referee: A D’Urso (Essex)