Daryl Murphy ended his goal drought by netting his first hat-trick in 11 years as the Blues thrashed Rotherham 5-2 at the New York Stadium. Brett Pitman and Jonathan Douglas had already scored before Murphy, the Championship’s top scorer with 27 goals last season, grabbed his first of the campaign to make it 3-0 at the break. His second followed three minutes after the restart before the Millers hit back via Brandon Barker and Matt Derbyshire but Murphy’s third in the 72nd minute ended any hopes of a dramatic comeback.

Boss Mick McCarthy made one change to his line-up with Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who suffered a foot injury in Tuesday’s 2-0 home win against Bolton, dropping to the bench and Douglas joining Cole Skuse in the middle of midfield with Kevin Bru on the right.

Strike trio Murphy, Pitman and Freddie Sears again all started - Sears in a wide left role - with David McGoldrick, a sub against the Trotters, missing out having been a doubt with a groin problem.

Former Town loanees Danny Collins, Paul Green and Frazer Richardson all began the game for the bottom-of-the-table Millers. Midfielder Barker, 19, who joined on loan from Manchester City made his senior debut.

Following an impeccably observed minute’s silence ahead of Remembrance Sunday, the Blues almost profited from poor Rotherham defending in the opening minute. The ball broke to Sears inside the Millers’ area on the left from a misdirected headed clearance but the striker’s effort was blocked by keeper Lee Camp.

Town kept up the early pressure and in the fourth minute Sears’s excellent cross from the left was bundled behind ahead of Douglas by Harry Toffolo.

After the corner had been cleared back to Bru on the right, the Mauritius international crossed to Christophe Berra, who nodded back from deep to central defensive partner Tommy Smith but the New Zealand international’s shot on the turn flew over.

But a Town lead wasn’t too long in coming. In the eighth minute, as Rotherham defenders overplayed inside their own area, Sears blocked a clearance and fed Bru. The midfielder whipped over another cross from the right and Pitman’s flicked header flew across Camp and into the net for his fifth goal of the season and his second in two games.

Having gone in front, the Blues kept up the pressure, Douglas nodding yet another Bru cross down to skipper Luke Chambers, who scuffed his shot.

Town continued their house-on-fire start to the game and in the 16th minute Pitman looped an overhead kick from the edge of the box only just over Camp’s crossbar.

Rotherham briefly threatened in the 22nd minute, Berra getting in ahead of Derbyshire as the former Blackburn man looked to turn a cross home at the near post.

But Town were still on top and a minute later they increased their lead. After Sears had closed down Camp as he looked to clear a long ball on the edge of his area, Douglas dispossessed a ponderous Green midway inside the Millers’ half.

The Irishman took a couple of touches before smashing a low 25-yard shot past the keeper and into the net to claim his first goal for the Blues.

Soon after the second goal, Pitman flicked a header wide then Rotherham debutant Barker shot well over from distance.

On the half hour Camp did well to get down to his right to keep out a deflected strike from Murphy.

Toffolo picked up the game’s first yellow card in the 40th minute after pulling back Pitman having lost possession to the Town striker on halfway.

Camp tipped over a clever Pitman lob from the right of the area on 43 and from the resultant corner the Blues added to their lead again.

The ball ricocheted around the area following Bru’s corner from the right and eventually fell to Murphy, who hit an effort which was scuffed but still beat Camp to finally end his duck for the season. All Town’s other nine outfield players went over to celebrate with the striker, who will have been delighted and relieved in equal measure.

In first-half injury time the Irish international could have scored again. Pitman’s pass sent him away on the right of the box from where he crashed a shot against Camp’s crossbar. The loose ball fell to Sears on the edge of the area but his strike was too high.

Not long after referee Darren Drysdale blew his whistle to end a brilliant Town first half display and trigger loud boos from the home support, angry at their side’s woeful performance.

Town had seized the initiative from the off and could have been ahead before Pitman’s opener.

Douglas created and scored the second, although like Pitman’s it owed much to Sears’s closing down, and Murphy’s long-awaited but well deserved first of the season was the icing on the cake at the end of the Blues’ 45 minutes of the season.

Rotherham made a double change at the break with Richie Smallwood and Jonson Clarke-Harris replacing Tom Thorpe and Green

But the Blues began the half where they left off the first with Murphy netting his second of the game only three minutes after the restart.

After Pitman had been dispossessed on the right the ball was cleared to halfway from where Smith headed back into the Rotherham box.

Farrend Rawson appeared oblivious to Murphy’s presence as he sought to see the ball back to his keeper and the Irishman nipped in to take it off him and slam his second goal of the game past Camp.

Chambers shot over from distance for the Blues on 54 then a minute later the home side pulled a goal back. Debut-making on-loan Manchester City midfielder Barker brought the ball in from the left before curling a shot which gave Gerken no chance.

A minute before the hour mark it was 4-2. Derbyshire chased a ball in behind the Blues’ backline and lashed a superb strike into the roof of Gerken’s net.

The goals - as well as a claim for a penalty after Clarke-Harris rather obviously dived on the left of the area - increased the volume around the New York Stadium with the home fans suddenly starting to believe that a dramatic comeback, which had looked hugely unlikely at half-time, might be on the cards.

Town switched Bru for Maitland-Niles on 66 as the Millers continued to push for their third goal, albeit without Gerken being tested. The Blues were getting into potentially dangerous positions on the break, however, up to then without making anything of them.

But with 17 minutes left on the clock Town finally sealed the victory with their fifth of the afternoon and Murphy’s third.

After a fan had hit Blues boss McCarthy with the ball when hurling it back from the stand for a throw-in, Murphy shielded it across his defender before belting a powerful shot past Camp and into the corner of the net.

It was the Irishman’s first hat-trick since netting four goals for Waterford United in a 7-2 FAI Cup third round victory over Kilkenny City in August 2004.

The goal ended the Millers’ hopes of a comeback and the Blues looked the likelier scorers as the game moved into its final 10 minutes. As Town sought to consolidate their lead, Giles Coke replaced Sears.

Clarke-Harris hit a 25-yard effort which deflected wide off Jonas Knudsen on 84 but the victory was by now not in doubt.

As the game moved into four minutes of injury time Murphy was replaced by Jonny Parr, the Irishman receiving a warm ovation from the 1,019 travelling fans as he made his way off and a hug from boss McCarthy.

Town saw out the final moments to claim their second successive win and their third of the season away from home.

The victory was fully deserved, the Blues having dominated the first half. The two Rotherham goals briefly gave the Millers but some hope and Town showed the odd moment of panic but Murphy’s third of the game sealed what was overall a very comfortable win.

Town scored five goals for the first time under McCarthy's management - they last netted five times when the beat West Ham 5-1 in January 2012 under Paul Jewell's management - while Murphy's hat-trick is the Blues' first since Connor Wickham's in the 6-0 at Doncaster in February 2011.

Murphy will gain most of the headlines for his first hat-trick in English football but it was an excellent team display with the Blues going into the international break still 10th and four points from the play-offs but back on winning form and with the difficult spell firmly behind them.

Rotherham: Camp, Richardson, Rawson, Collins, Toffolo, Thorpe (Smallwood 46), G Ward, Green (Clarke-Harris 46), Barker, Derbyshire, D Ward. Unused: Collin, Broadfoot, Buxton, Newell, Andreu.

Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Douglas, Bru (Maitland-Niles 66), Sears (Coke 81), Pitman, Murphy (Parr 90). Unused: Bialkowski, Malarczyk, Coke, Oar, Touré. Referee: Darren Drysdale (Lincolnshire). Att: 9,162 (Town: 1,019).

Photo: Action Images

battyblue added 05:18 - Nov 9 As i said excellent away win regardless of opposition but i dont know what happened obviously MM set up for a point not the style of play that that was carried out on the pitch would i dare to suggest that some players took it upon themselves to change things a little you make your own minds up ......i know essex 57 brain will be whirling not.
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Razor added 11:22 - Nov 9 Main thing is CONFIDENCE will now be boosted and that is worth so much. Fancy 6 more points from next 2 games and Mboro have aweful record at P road, but it is on Sky so hold on to yer hats!!
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blueboy1981 added 18:11 - Nov 9 ....... nothing like being a 'happy chappie' - and expect NOWT. You just have to smile.
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essex57 added 19:42 - Nov 9 Sad sad person Battyblue
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