Ruthless Rotherham United earn Paul Warne praise after first-half goal blitz

The promoted Millers struck four first-half goals to completely blow away the Royals at the New York Stadium and claim their first league win of the campaign.

It was the first time United have netted four times at this level under Warne and should serve as a morale booster after successive relegations from the Championship.

Warne said: “It was a good day at the office. The lads took on the game-plan really well. To go in four-nil at half-time was a joy.

“In the end I am really pleased. There are obviously things we can improve on.

“All that going forward didn’t please me as much as our defending. Generally speaking we defended really well. I thought we deserved to win but maybe not by four goals – but I’m not complaining.

“When we had a chance to score we took it. The goals came at good times. The lads were really ruthless and, in this league, to pick up points, you have to be. That pleases me.

“It was like being in a volcano so to keep that intensity up is difficult.

“As an attacking force, we were really good. There were some really good performances.”

Captain Richard Wood headed Rotherham in front after seven minutes and it was 2-0 in 15th minute when Conor Washington latched onto a long ball and smashing clinically beyond Joe Lumley.

A chance for a quick-fire third then fall to Washington but he headed over after Chiedozie Ogbene had rounded Lumley.

It came after 18 minutes anyway with Jamie Lindsay curling a tame effort on goal which Lumley failed to gather and could only look on hopelessly as it rolled over the line.

Reading had openings to get a goal back before the break but Tom Ince fired into the side-netting, Nesta Guinness-Walker volleyed wide on the stretch.

Instead the next goal came from the home side two minutes into first-half stoppage time, with Ogbene rounding Lumley and slotting into the empty net.

Rotherham United: Johansson, Hall (Peltier 68), Wood, Humphreys, Barlaser (High 60), Harding, Lindsay (Rathbone 60), Wiles, Ferguson (Bramall 74), Washington (Kelly 60), Ogbene. Unused substitutes: McCart, Vickers.

Reading: Lumley, Hoilett (Ehibhationham 87), Yiadom, Holmes, McIntyre, Guinness-Walker, Ince, Fornah, N’Diaye, Hendrick (Camara 73), Long. Unused substituyes: Bouzanis, Abrefa, John Clarke, Holzman, Craig.

Referee: S Martin (Staffordshire).