To end a very difficult week at the club, Rotherham United were on the end of a sound beating after finding themselves three goals down inside the opening 18 minutes.

Ryan Taylor and Jamie Green came in to replace Chris O'Grady and Jamie Yates but it was the home team who made the livelier start and in the first minute they won a corner that was cleared. Then Curtis headed over the bar from a free kick before he fired a shot too high from a Thompson cross.

A Rotherham corner came to nothing and it was the home side who made the early break through when they took an eighth lead with Thompson crossing deeply for Blinkhorn to head home.

Morecambe immediately added a second goal just a minute later when a long ball from former Millers Dave Artell saw an offside looking Newby run through to score with a shot off the inside of the far post.

The Millers switched their formation with Green moving to left back but back came Morecambe again to incredibly add a third goal after only 18 minutes with Thompson hitting a long ball over the defence for Newby to run through and score. That put the home team well in command but United replied with  a Taylor cross finding derek Holmes who headed wide.

Then the two Holmes linked for Danny Harrison to fire over the bar while a quick home break saw a cross go narrowly wide. The Millers pulled a goal back on 36 minutes when Taylor challengted for the ball that fell down on the edge of the penalty area for Mark Hudson to score with a well placed left foot shot.

But that did little as a recvoery and two home corners saw Artell have a shot saved before his team added a fourth goal on 42 minutes with Thompson again the provider as his cross was headed home by Newby who completed his hat-trick. It should have been even worse for the Millers a couple of minutes later when somehow Blinkhorn hit the post from just a few yards out following a Newby cross.

Tom Cahill replaced Taylor at the start of the second half that had just started when Joseph crossed to find Derek Holmes who wasted a good chance by heading wide. Back came Morecambe again and Burns had a shot blocked before Andy Warrington earned his stripes by saving a shot from Curtis and he did well again from the rebound to turn Thopmson's shot from close range out for a corner.

United won a 55th minute corner from which Graham Coughlan had a header saved and when Morecambe replied again with another corner, Curtis had a shot saved before the same player wasted a good chance when he was left in the clear only for Warrington to save the day again with another good save.

But the Millers conceded a fifth goal on 73 minutes when a corner wasn't dealt with and Artell headed the ball down to Stanley who drove the ball into the net through a crowd of players. Thompson then went on yet another good run but his tempting cross went just wide before a Rotherham corner saw Peter Holmes cross to Derek Holmes who headed wide.

Substitute Tom Cahill flashed a cross in fromt of goal with no one getting on the end of it before the final whistle came to end a sorry afternoon for the Millers.

Morecambe: Davies; Yates, Artell, McStay (Grand 62), Burns; Thompson, Drummond (Allen 80), Stanley, Curtis; Blinkhorn, Newby (Hunter 83). Subs: Jalal, Baker.

Rotherham: Warrington; Tonge, Mills, Coughlan, Joseph; P. Holmes, Harrison, Hudson, Green ((Pettigrew 66); D. Holmes (Newsham 89), Taylor (Cahill 46). Subs: Cann, Ross.

Referee: Eddie Ilderton (Tyne and Wear).

Attendance: 2,171 (435 away).