Barnsley embarrass Rotherham with thumping win at Oakwell
Barnsley claimed South Yorkshire bragging rights as they embarrassed Rotherham 4-0 at Oakwell to continue their 100 per cent home start to the Sky Bet Championship season.
The Reds, who had beaten Derby and QPR in their first two games on home soil, had no trouble against the struggling Millers, with goals in the space of three second-half minutes from Marc Roberts and Adam Hammill doing the business before late Tom Bradshaw and Ryan Kent efforts made it a memorable afternoon.
The win was enough to send them third in the embryonic table, but having come up from League One last season, boss Paul Heckingbottom will be delighted with his side's start going into the international break.
The same cannot be said for Rotherham boss Alan Stubbs, whose side are struggling at both ends of the pitch and another season of struggle looks on the cards, with chairman Tony Stewart seen remonstrating from the stands in the second half.
These two sides had not met since 2005, but there is still a rivalry and, in wet conditions, there was a frenetic start.
Danny Ward had an effort blocked at the near post for Rotherham while Sam Winnall headed wide for Barnsley shortly after.
The Reds were perhaps looking slightly better as the first half wore on, with Hammill - once a Millers loanee - testing Lee Camp's handling with a vicious effort from the edge of the area.
It was by no means one-way traffic, though, as both teams attacked with intent but struggled for clear openings. Roberts' screwed effort for the hosts and Jake Forster-Caskey's tame shot for Rotherham were the best of the chances.
However, the start of the second half was one-way traffic and Barnsley put themselves in a match-winning position with two goals in three minutes.
Camp had already produced a wonderful save to deny Conor Hourihane by the time Roberts broke the deadlock after 54 minutes.
The Millers failed to clear a free-kick and the centre-half slotted home the loose ball.
Things got even better for the hosts shortly after as on a quick break, Hammill cut inside and his shot was fortuitously deflected off Kelvin Wilson, wrong-footing Camp and trickling into the corner.
The Reds then proceeded to put the Millers to the sword as Stubbs' men had no answer.
There was a hint of inevitably about the scorer of Barnsley's third when Bradshaw found the back of the net.
The Millers had a B#500,000 bid accepted for the former Walsall striker in the summer before Barnsley stole in at the last minute and on this evidence he will be pleased they did as he was given the freedom of the penalty area to head home Andy Yaidom's cross in the 86th minute.
Kent put the finishing touches on a superb afternoon for Barnsley when he found the top corner in time added on.
Source: PA
