MATCHDAY CENTRE: Derby day heartbreak for Rotherham United

TIGHT, scrappy and with both defences on top.

The first half of the Championship clash between South Yorkshire rivals Barnsley and Rotherham was a classic case of neither side wanting to give the opposition a leg up, and neither side wanting to make a costly mistake.

Cagey, edgy and lacking any real quality in the final third, you couldn't slide a fag paper between the two at Oakwell when referee Graham Scott blew his whistle for the half time interval.

But just nine minutes into the second period the Millers were trailing courtesy of a Marc Roberts tap-in from close range.

What followed was one of the worst second half capitulations you are likely to see, as Alan Stubbs' side hit self destruct.

It took the hosts just three minutes to double their advantage through ex-Miller Adam Hammill's defelected strike, which wrongfooted the keeper and nestled in the opposite corner.

Credit has to go to Barnsley, but Stubbs' men made them look a far better outfit than they probably are at this stage of the season.

Stand in skipper Stephen Kelly came out after the game and hit the nail on the head.

"I think after we conceded the first goal we went a little bit gung-ho and lost our shape, that caused us problems," he said.

Stubbs' side played like a team losing 1-0 with five minutes remaining, not over half an hour left on the clock.

They panicked and lost their shape, discipline and game plan, and by the time Rotherham's summer target Tom Bradshaw came off the bench to head his first Barnsley goal and their third, it was game over.

That just left time for on loan Liverpool winger Ryan Kent to hit a delicious effort into Camp's top corner from the edge of the area, making it 10 goals conceded in Rotherham's first three away games, and as of yet, not one goal scored.

Stubbs and his players faced a barrage of abuse from the few Millers' fans that had stayed until the end as they headed for the tunnel.

After that second half performance, the only way is up, surely?

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