Rotherham United 0

Darlington 2

The visitors produced a comprehensive performance to inflict the Millers first league defeat of the season while themselves moved to the top of the table. There were a few changes in the line up with Ian Sharps and Peter Holmes both missing but it was the home team who made the game's first telling attack on two minutes.

They won a free kick but that was caught by the keeper and then Derek Holmes found Andy Todd whose cross was cut out. The Quakers won a seventh minute corner when Wright's shot was deflected off the target but they had to wait just three minutes before they took the lead.

Joachim broke away on a strong run down the right and he slipped the ball to Abbott whose shot found the net just inside the post.

Another free kick saw Holmes head the ball down but Chris O'Grady couldn't make anything of it but on 16 minutes Holmes had a header saved from a Danny Harrison cross.

Steve Brogan then had a curling 20 yarder saved while a Darlington corner was cleared and then Ryan's free kick from 23 yards was blocked by the defensive wall.

Back came the Millers for Brogan to find Todd whose shot hit the side netting and he did the same on 32 minutes with a shot on the turn after a long Andy Warrington free kick.

Two efforts from Brogan brought no reward and just before the interval Holmes headed over the bar.

Marc Newsham replaced O'Grady at the start of the second half with United pushing forward in search of an equaliser. Holmes had a shot saved and then on 48 minutes a Brogan free kick saw Newsham head the ball and when the keeper failed to hold, it, it was scrambled away for a corner.

From the flag kick Graham Coughlan headed wide and as the pressure was maintained another Brogan free kick was headed away only for Marcus Bean to win possession. He found Brogan who pulled his shot off target.

A corner from the industrious Brogan was headed away and as the Millers kept up the pressure a fine move saw a Todd cross pick out Newsham whose shot was blocked.

Todd drove a left footer just over the bar but then the visitors broke away and it need a fine tackle by Dale Tonge to stop the move and concede a corner.

Purdie headed just wide from a Joachim cross as Darlington threatened again while back at the other end a long ball saw Newsham turn well only to fire his shot just over the bar.

Hopes of an equaliser disappeared on 75 minutes when Darlington added a second goal with Blundell headed home a fine deep cross from Joachim.

That seemed to knock the wind out of the Millers' sails although in the closing stages they won a couple of corners with bean having a shot saved as the home team finished empty handed.

Rotherham: Warrington, Tonge, Joseph, Coughlan, Hurst, Todd (Duncum 83), Harrison, |Bean, Brogan, D. Holmes (Taylor 72), O'Grady (Newsham 46). Subs: Cann, King.

Darlington: Stockdale, Austin (Miller 83), Ryan, White, Foster, Cummins, Purdie, Joachim, Ravenhill, Abbott (Blundell 68), Wright.

Referee: Darren Drysdale (Lincolnshire).

Attendance: 3,988.