Rotherham United 1-3 Cardiff City

Aron Gunnarsson and Matt Connolly celebrate at the final whistle in Rotherham

Rotherham remain only six points clear of the Championship drop zone as Cardiff enjoyed their biggest away win of the season to make it four matches unbeaten on their travels.

The Bluebirds scored three goals in 11 minutes as they moved up to 13th in the table.

Bruno Ecuele Manga headed home the first before Federico Macheda volleyed into the net from over his shoulder.

Conor McAleny drilled in a third before Danny Ward headed a late consolation.

The Millers are only one position above the bottom three, while Cardiff are over 10 points from the play-offs or relegation mix.

Rotherham's disappointment though was softened by Millwall's defeat at Middlesbrough, meaning they have not been dragged closer to danger after a first home loss in five.

On the back of a vital win against the Lions on Saturday, the hosts started well with Matt Derbyshire having a goal ruled out for offside.

Their positive opening was undone though as Cardiff secured victory with a quick-fire treble before the break.

Cardiff were forced to change goalkeepers at the interval, with Simon Moore coming on for the injured David Marshall, but Rotherham failed to force him into a save until the 76th minute.

Instead it was the Bluebirds who looked the likeliest to add to their lead, with home goalkeeper Adam Collin producing a fine double save to deny Aron Gunnarsson and then Alex Revell.

Ward headed home Hammill's cross five minutes later but it was scant consolation.

Rotherham boss Steve Evans: "We don't live in a false world here where we think we are going to come back from three goals down like Roy of the Rovers does.

"There's a key moment in the game where the goalkeeper spills it and the referee gives a foul when the DVD shows it wasn't a foul, so these are big decisions tonight.

"I'm not here defending my team based on decisions but decisions change games don't they? If the officials can't get simple decisions right then deary me, what are we supposed to do?"

Cardiff City manager Russell Slade: "We had to weather a little bit of a storm in the first 10 minutes. We did that and got the ball down, created some good opportunities and we took them.

"If you looked at the chances and opportunities, even in the second half, I thought it was a really good away performance. I thought we made the right decisions.

"Secondly we were ruthless in the final third when we had to be. I think it's a good sign going forward. When those opportunities came we took them and took them really well."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Rotherham

• 21Collin
• 30Hunt
• 5Broadfoot
• 4Arnason
• 28Fryers
• 17NewtonSubstituted forHammillat 45'minutes
• 11GreenBooked at 85mins
• 33Smallwood
• 18Pringle
• 22Ward
• 27DerbyshireSubstituted forSammonat 59'minutes

Substitutes

• 8Frecklington
• 15Milsom
• 16Richardson
• 23Sammon
• 24Hammill
• 29Clarke-Harris
• 35Thompson

Cardiff

• 1MarshallSubstituted forMooreat 45'minutes
• 2Peltier
• 36Morrison
• 5Ecuele Manga
• 16Connolly
• 30Kennedy
• 17Gunnarsson
• 21Ralls
• 14MachedaSubstituted forDoyleat 71'minutes
• 29RevellSubstituted forJonesat 86'minutes
• 15McAleny

Substitutes

• 3da Silva
• 9Jones
• 11Noone
• 13Doyle
• 22O'Keefe
• 33Moore
• 40K Harris

Referee:

James Adcock

Attendance:

8,534

Match Stats

Home TeamRotherhamAway TeamCardiff

Possession

Home60%

Away40%

Shots

Home8

Away9

Shots on Target

Home2

Away5

Corners

Home9

Away3

Fouls

Home11

Away12

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Rotherham United 1, Cardiff City 3.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+4'

Second Half ends, Rotherham United 1, Cardiff City 3.

Posted at 90'

Attempt missed. Paul Green (Rotherham United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Ben Pringle with a cross following a corner.

Posted at 90'

Corner, Rotherham United. Conceded by Lee Peltier.

Substitution

Posted at 86'

Substitution, Cardiff City. Kenwyne Jones replaces Alex Revell.

Booking

Posted at 85'

Paul Green (Rotherham United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 85'

Foul by Paul Green (Rotherham United).

Posted at 85'

Conor McAleny (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 84'

Foul by Conor Sammon (Rotherham United).

Posted at 84'

Simon Moore (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Goal!

Posted at 80'

Goal! Rotherham United 1, Cardiff City 3. Danny Ward (Rotherham United) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Adam Hammill.

Posted at 79'

Hand ball by Paul Green (Rotherham United).

Posted at 77'

Attempt saved. Adam Hammill (Rotherham United) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Kári Arnason.

Posted at 76'

Corner, Rotherham United. Conceded by Bruno Ecuele Manga.

Posted at 76'

Attempt blocked. Danny Ward (Rotherham United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Posted at 75'

Ben Pringle (Rotherham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 75'

Foul by Sean Morrison (Cardiff City).

Posted at 74'

Foul by Jack Hunt (Rotherham United).

Posted at 74'

Conor McAleny (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 73'

Attempt saved. Alex Revell (Cardiff City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 73'

Attempt saved. Conor McAleny (Cardiff City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Eoin Doyle.

Posted at 72'

Offside, Cardiff City. Matthew Kennedy tries a through ball, but Eoin Doyle is caught offside.

Posted at 71'

Attempt blocked. Kári Arnason (Rotherham United) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is blocked. Assisted by Jack Hunt.

Posted at 71'

Attempt missed. Sean Morrison (Cardiff City) header from the right side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Aron Gunnarsson.

Substitution

Posted at 71'

Substitution, Cardiff City. Eoin Doyle replaces Federico Macheda.

Posted at 69'

Attempt blocked. Conor McAleny (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Federico Macheda.

Posted at 63'

Ben Pringle (Rotherham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 63'

Foul by Federico Macheda (Cardiff City).

Posted at 62'

Foul by Kári Arnason (Rotherham United).

Posted at 62'

Matthew Kennedy (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 61'

Corner, Rotherham United. Conceded by Conor McAleny.

Substitution

Posted at 59'

Substitution, Rotherham United. Conor Sammon replaces Matt Derbyshire.

Posted at 58'

Corner, Rotherham United. Conceded by Federico Macheda.

Posted at 57'

Corner, Rotherham United. Conceded by Bruno Ecuele Manga.

Posted at 56'

Danny Ward (Rotherham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 56'

Matthew Connolly (Cardiff City).

Posted at 54'

Adam Hammill (Rotherham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 54'

Foul by Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff City).

Posted at 54'

Attempt missed. Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.

Posted at 51'

Matt Derbyshire (Rotherham United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

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