An accomplished performance saw the Millers record a comfortable victory against the Mariners and once they had taken the lead on the stroke of half time, there was only going to be one winner.

Once again manager Alan Knill used the game to give a lot of players a run out with only David Worrell, Pablo Mills, Ian Sharps, Richie Partridge and Delroy Facey playing the full 90 minutes.

The home side were first on to the attack and they forced a first minute corner that was caught by Gary Montgomery and the Millers responded quickly with Paul Hurst finding Lee Williamson whose cross was turned out for a corner.

Montgomery saved a 25 yarder from Harkins before Rotherham started to control proceedings.

After linking with Will Hoskins, Michael Keane hit a right foot shot from 20 yards that went just wide before the Millers applied some real pressure.

A good ball from Eugen Bopp to Hoskins saw Delroy Facey have a shot turned round the post for the first of three corners in quick succession but nothing came from them.

On 20 minutes Bopp had a fine shot from 20 yards saved while at the other end Pablo Mills did well to block a shot from Rankin.

Hoskins went close when a long ball was flicked on to him and his left foot shot went just wide while he then had another effort deflected for a corner after being set up by Bopp.

Town went close in a rare 39th minute move when North's cross found the tall Futcher whose header went just wide.

On the stroke of half time the deadlock was broken when a good ball from Bopp found Williamson inside the penalty area and he made no mistake with a well placed shot.

At the start of the second half Neil Cutler and Alexis Nicolas replaced Montgomery and Williamson and on 48 minutes Town almost grabbed an equaliser when a corner was headed out to Whittle.

He smashed in a tremendously powerful shot that rattled the bar as the Millers held on to their lead.

At the other end Mills, who looked superb in defence with Ian Sharps, had a header saved following a Keane free kick before Nicolas drove an effort too high after a good move involving Hurst, Bopp and Hoskins.

Rotherham increased their lead on 68 minutes when Facey delivered a deep cross from the left for Scott Wiseman to knock it back and Bopp made no mistake with a well placed header.

As several more substitutions were made, the Millers lost some of their rhythm and Grimsby almost pulled a goal back on 82 minutes but Cutler made a brilliant save from a close range Harkins header.

Grimsby: Murray, McDermott, Futcher, Whittle, Croft, Harkins, Bolland, Toner, North (Taylor 71), Beagrie, Rankin.

Rotherham: Montgomery (Cutler 46), Worrell, Mills, Sharps, Hurst (Robertson 74), Partridge, Bopp (McMahon 71), Williamson (Nicolas 46), Keane (Wiseman 61), Facey, Hoskins (Taylor 69).

Referee: Jonathan Moss.

Attendance: 972 (168 from Rotherham).

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