Rotherham Utd 2 (Agard 75, 77)
Barnsley 3 (Mellis 46, 55, Dagnall 67)
A cracking second-half of football was enjoyed by both Millers and Tykes fans alike at the New York Stadium with Flitcroft's troops notching three of the five second-half goals scored. Jacob Mellis scored the pick of the bunch, his first of a brace, as he curled a spectacular effort into the top corner.
The opening exchanges saw little in terms of goal-mouth action, but the Reds were in control.
Dagnall sent in a weak effort that was comfortably dealt with by Shearer, as Frecklington dragged a low effort wide on 15 minutes.
Michael Tidser set his sight on goal from 25 yards but his effort clipped the crossbar on its way over, ten minutes before the break.
Only a minute into the second half the Reds found the opener and it was in some style. Jacob Mellis, who scored the opener here last year, curled a spectacular effort into the top corner from just outside the area after being teed up by Stephen Dawson's short free-kick
On 55 minutes Mellis was at it again when he latched onto a brilliant pass from O'Grady; after getting the ball under control he composed himself before tucking past Shearer from 10 yards.
Jacob Mellis was simply instrumental for the Reds and he was unfortunate not to complete his hat-trick as a brilliant solo effort was cleared off the line on 66 minutes.
But the Reds were thinking too quickly for the Millers and David Perkins sent Chris Dagnall into the box down the left, when the angle narrowed he curled a great effort with the outside of his right boot that beat Shearer for 3-0.
Kieran Agard did well to finish from a tight angle as he raced into the box on 75 minutes to make it 3-1. Two minutes later he had a free header that he didn't waste to make it 3-2 and game on.
Barnsley's front two in Dagnall and O'Grady were linking up well and former curled over after being set up on the edge of the box with seven minutes left.
Teams:
Rotherham United: Shearer, Scarz, Arnason, Davis, Worrall, Frecklington (Noble 65), Revell, Hylton (Rose 65), Bradley, Pringle (Agard 46), Tidser.
Subs: Collin, Brindley, O'Connor, Morgan.
Reds: Steele, Cranie, M'voto, Nyatanga, Kennedy, Mellis (Patterson 71), Dawson, Perkins, Golbourne, Dagnall, O'Grady.
Subs: Dibble, Oates.
