Rotherham United 3 Gillingham 0: Millers claim top spot to make light of Le Fondre’s departure

The little striker signed for Reading for an initial £350,000, which could rise to £500,000, after a medical with the Berkshire club but did not figure in the Championship game at Hull City.

Reading, who have sold striker Shane Long for £4.5m to West Bromwich, had inquired about Le Fondre last January.

Rotherham landed Le Fondre, 24, from Rochdale two years ago for £125,000 but there was a sizeable sell-on clause in that deal of around 20 per cent for the Lancashire club.

Millers chief Andy Scott aims to bring in a striker before Wednesday’s transfer deadline to cover the gap left by Le Fondre, who scored 58 goals in 105 appearances.

Before LeFondre’s departure, Scott said: “He’s a natural scorer who, understandably, wants to play at a higher level and no-one can blame him for that.

“If he keeps working as hard as he has done for me, then he’ll be a real asset.”

Rotherham went ahead eight minutes into the second half on Saturday. Fine work on the flank by Danny Schofield enabled him to cross for Danny Harrison to head home off the post.

Ten minutes later, Rotherham doubled their advantage, Lewis Grabban firing home from inside the area from Mark Bradley’s through ball.

Victory against a Gillingham side, who had gone into the game also unbeaten, was completed in the 78th minute when Marcus Marshall’s cross was drilled home by Gareth Evans.

Rotherham deserved to keep a clean sheet for their second-half display and Conrad Logan ensured they did with a fine save to deny substitute Luke Rooney.

Rotherham United: Logan, Marshall, Raynes, Cresswell, Newey, Evans, Taylor (Bradley 52), Harrison, Schofield, Grabban, Holroyd (Foster 84). Unused substitutes: Warrington, Brown, Pringle.

Gillingham: Flitney, Fuller, Frampton, Lawrence, Martin (Jackman 77), Weston, Lee, J Payne (Oli 59), Montrose, Spiller (Rooney 68), Kedwell. Unused substitutes: Gazzaniga, Richards.

Referee: J Adcock (Nottinghamshire).

Man of the match: Ryan Cresswell.