Rovers put in a lifeless display to slump to a 4-0 defeat on the road at Rotherham United.

The tone was set by Hakeem Odoffin’s goal after only 32 seconds, before strikes in the second half from Ollie Rathbone and Shane Ferguson added a one-sided look to the scoreline.

The icing on the cake came in added time when Conor Washington found the back of the net with a shot on the turn.

Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side again had no answer to going behind, and are yet to score an equalising goal in their pointless return when going behind. They have now scored only 10 goals in 14 away matches which have brought nine defeats.

This coming against a Millers side who were bottom of the form table coming into the game and had conceded 15 goals in their previous seven home matches.

Rovers offered limited threat in the first half, but offered nothing in a second half when it was hoped there would be a response.

There was no Ben Brereton in the Rovers squad as he prepared to welcome the arrival of his first child this weekend.

That meant Jack Vale, scorer of Rovers’ winning goal in the FA Cup tie at Norwich City last week kept his place in the side, with Sam Gallagher moving out to the left.

Rovers were hit by a bolt out of the blue as they trailed after just 32 seconds. Dom Hyam couldn’t clear Shane Ferguson’s left-wing cross further than the onrushing Hakeem Odoffin who rifled a shot inside Thomas Kaminski’s near post.

It was the worst possible start, allowing the Millers to gain the early initiative and gave them something to cling on to.

The game then settled into a pattern of Rovers dominating possession but failing to find a way through.

There was a focus on playing out form the back, but the few times they did play through the Rotherham press they lacked any quality to make the most of the space they worked.

That was until the 18th minute when an incisive Bradley Dack throughball left the Millers backline standing as Gallagher broke off the back of Sean Morrison, but a poor first touch saw the ball get away from him, with Viktor Johansson quickly off his line to dive at his feet.

Moves were breaking down too easily for Rovers, whose supporters were becoming frustrated by their inability to create.

Dack looked the most likely to do that, but elsewhere too many hopeful balls forward failed to find their target.

Harry Pickering’s cross was nodded wide by Dack just before the half hour mark, while just after it, Johansson was well placed to deal comfortably with Vale’s curling effort.

The biggest chance of them all arrived eight minutes before half time, but when free of the defence, Ryan Hedges put his shot straight at Johansson who saved with his legs.

That added to Rovers’ final third frustrations as they failed to make the most of their territory, even though they did have two big opportunities to equalise.

Tomasson sent out the same side for the second half, with Rovers emerging well in advance of their hosts.

He did turn to his bench 10 minutes after the restart but not before the Millers had a second.

Rovers failed to clear the lines, or close down Ollie Rathbone who took aim from the edge of the box, with his shot adjudged to have crossed the line when hitting the underside of the crossbar.

Tyrhys Dolan and Dilan Markanday were then sent on with Rovers’ deficit now at two. That became three changes as Ash Philips replaced Dom Hyam who failed to run off a knock sustained in the lead-up to the second goal.

There was still no way through for Rovers though, while at the other end Rathbone had an effort blocked by Phillips as the Millers threatened a third.

That arrived direct from a corner in the 72nd minute as Thomas Kaminski failed to keep out Ferguson’s corner that was whipped in towards his near post.

Markanday showed a few flashes, but it was slim pickings on an afternoon that had become a sobering watch for the travelling 1,770 supporters and those tuned in on Sky Sports.

Dack being unable to turn his volley from a Rankin-Costello cross goalwards, and players turning down countless opportunities to shoot, summed up the struggles in the attacking third.

There were five added minutes to endure, but things would get worse as Washington’s shot on the turn found the back of the net via the inside of the post.

Rotherham: Johanson, Barlaser, Ogbene, Washington, Ferguson (Kioso, 88), Rathbone, Peltier (Harding, 88), Odoffin (Lindsay, 90), Morrison (Wood, 80), Humphreys, Hjelde (Bramall, 88)

Subs: Hemfrey, McCart

Rovers: Kaminski, Rankin-Costello, Ayala, Hyam, Pickering, Morton, Garrett, Dack, Hedges (Markanday, 56), Gallagher (Dolan, 56), Vale

Subs: Pears, Carter, Phillips, Edun, Travis