Rotherham manager Paul Warne feels his side are showing they are a force to be reckoned with after smashing 10-man Sunderland 5-1.

Rotherham were dominant for large spells of the game and made it pay with braces from Michael Smith and Freddie Ladapo and a header from Michael Ihiekwe, while Ross Stewart got Sunderland’s only goal.

It was a first win over Sunderland since 1962 for the Millers and one which could have been even more embarrassing for the visitors.

Sunderland’s task was made even harder when they were reduced to 10 men in the second half, with Aiden McGeady receiving a second yellow card.

Warne said: “It’s always the strikers who get the headlines. They were two great finishes from Smith and he could have had more.

“It was a good day at the office and obviously I am pleased.

“At the moment we are respectful of the opposition but not in awe of them and if we play at our best someone has got to play really well to beat us.

“I thought we were really good but I am still disappointed with the goal we conceded. We are obsessed with the defenders on letting people inside so that’s a mark against us.

“We are trying to win every game we play in and sometimes you don’t get your just deserts but this was one of those games where we created a few and we were fortunate enough to take five chances.

“We knew it was going to be a difficult game but I always think if the lads play at their very best then they are very difficult to play against.”

Sunderland head coach Lee Johnson said: “It’s a really poor day for us and a massive opportunity missed. It was three points that we wanted and I don’t think we showed that anywhere near enough.

“Their game style completely nullified and stopped us. A lot of the play was down our left side and it’s a glaring weakness I suppose in terms of if we don’t have a good day, that side is quite easy to disrupt us on.

“It was men against boys today, from start to finish, it really was. We looked leggy and we were everywhere the ball had just been.

“I am hurting badly, the fans and the players will be but it’s three points lost in the big picture.

“Whether it’s a change of personnel or tactics or additions in January, there is clearly something that we have got to snuff out to be more solid when we are under the cosh.

“If you are a good team you are under the cosh for four or five minutes but if you’re a bad team, like we were, you are going to get runs of attacks for 70 minutes of the 90.”