Report: Double centurion Bednarek scores in win at Rotherham

On a landmark day for Stuart Armstrong and Jan Bednarek, Saints’ two double centurions combined when Armstrong’s fourth-minute corner was half-cleared into the air and carefully headed into the net by Bednarek on a day when both men were making their 200th Southampton appearances.

Saints continued to fly forward, as Ryan Fraser rattled the post with a rasping long-range strike before exquisitely setting up Adam Armstrong seven minutes before half time with a clever backheel that deserves to be filed under Saints’ finest assists.

There was less fluency about Russell Martin’s side after the interval, but Rotherham would only force two saves from Gavin Bazunu all afternoon, as Saints’ unbeaten run extended to 23 matches in all competitions with a first win over the Millers since 1965 after six unsuccessful attempts in league and cup.

Martin reverted to the same starting line-up that produced a blistering first-half display at Swansea in Saints’ last league outing, which meant David Brooks would have to settle for a place on the bench alongside fellow January signing and Bournemouth teammate Joe Rothwell.

Saints, backed by a noisy, sold-out away end, tore into Rotherham from kick-off – literally.

Will Smallbone took the centre, playing a quick one-two with Flynn Downes and inviting Stuart Armstrong to thread a first-time pass through for Scottish compatriot Ché Adams to bear down on goal, only to be thwarted by the offside flag. Otherwise, Adams would have been challenging former teammate Shane Long for Saints’ fastest goal.

Jan Bednarek plants a perfectly-placed header into the corner of the net

It was a sign of things to come, as the visitors continued to pour forward and forced two corners inside the first four minutes.

It was fitting that from the second of those, Saints’ two milestone appearance makers combined to give Martin’s side the early breakthrough they craved against a team quite content to soak up pressure.

Stuart Armstrong’s delivery from the left was only half-cleared and looped into the air invitingly for Bednarek, but the Pole still had plenty to do, placing his header to perfection, high to Viktor Johansson’s left and into the net, right in front of the jubilant mass ranks of travelling Saints fans.

But those with long memories will recall Saints scored even earlier in the home game against the Millers back in August, with Stuart Armstrong on target inside two minutes that day, only for the underdogs to overcome the early setback and snatch a point in a result that defied every other statistic.

So it was a timely reminder when Jordan Hugill, Rotherham’s goalscorer that day, flashed a shot over the bar from the hosts’ first attack 13 minutes in.

Otherwise it was one-way traffic, but Saints have learned the hard way this season and know the importance of putting games to bed.

Fraser had Johansson beaten once more when he turned and rifled a 20-yard drive that rose beyond the keeper’s dive and crashed against his right-hand post to keep Rotherham in it.

Ryan Fraser leaves the goal frame shaking with a vicious strike from distance

An injury to Johansson did allow United boss Leam Richardson to convey some messages to his players, as both sides took advantage of a hefty stoppage shortly before the half-hour mark to regroup.

But when the action resumed, it was more of the same. Adams spotted the run of Stuart Armstrong into the box, but Johansson advanced to shut down the angle and keep Saints at bay.

The black-shirted visitors would not be stopped, and Adam Armstrong marked his 30th appearance of the season with his 15th goal seven minutes before the interval.

The goal owed much to the brilliance of Fraser, who escaped in behind the defence in trademark style, latching on to Taylor Harwood-Bellis’s lofted pass.

But as his marker retreated, Fraser opted against going for goal himself and instead produced a moment of magic with a backheel that completely outfoxed everyone except his skipper, who read his intentions and steered home a left-footed finish without breaking stride.

Adam Armstrong slides home Saints' second goal in front of the travelling fans

Two minutes later the game might have been done and dusted. Smallbone rolled the ball down the right for goalscorer Armstrong and followed his pass into the box, meeting Armstrong’s driven low cross with a guided effort acrobatically tipped around the post by Johansson.

At the other end, Bazunu had his first save to make when he stooped to his left to keep out Seb Revan’s low drive, before Rotherham hurled a couple of long throws into the box, but Saints stood up to the challenge and went in at the break with a healthy two-goal cushion.

Saints had successfully played the game on their terms, but the second period saw Rotherham disrupt the rhythm Martin’s men crave.

Sam Clucas volleyed narrowly off target and Revan’s cross deflected just wide, while Flynn Downes and Stuart Armstrong went into the book.

Rotherham were yet to carve out a chance of note since half time, but had undeniably disrupted Saints’ fluency as the game approached its three-quarter mark.

The visitors’ superior potency might have put any lingering doubts to bed when Smallbone picked out the run of Adam Armstrong, whose first touch killed the ball in mid-air but Johansson was out quickly to give the striker little to aim at.

David Brooks came on for his Saints debut in a 20-minute cameo off the bench

Martin introduced the Bournemouth duo, Rothwell and Brooks, in the same double substitution on 74 minutes, the latter for his debut, as Downes and Fraser departed to rapturous applause.

Brooks trotted over to the right wing and soon delivered a teasing cross that reached Adam Armstrong, now on the left, at the far post via a touch from the recently-introduced Sékou Mara, producing another save from Johansson, albeit the offside flag had been raised.

A one-two between Brooks and Mara invited the debutant to go for goal with a curling effort from the right corner of the penalty area, but on this occasion Johansson, announced as Player of the Match inside the stadium, was not called upon.

Rotherham: Johansson, Kioso (Appiah 85), Odoffin, Morrison (c), Peltier, Revan (Seriki 85), Lindsay (Rathbone 62), Tiehi, Clucas, Cafu (Eaves 88), Hugill (Nombe 62).

Unused substitutes: Phillips, Humphreys, Rinomhota, Wyke.

Southampton: Bazunu, Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Manning, Downes (Rothwell 74), Smallbone, S Armstrong (Charles 89), A Armstrong (c), Adams (Mara 81), Fraser (Brooks 74).

Unused substitutes: Lumley, Stephens, Meghoma, Dibling, Edozie.

Goals: Bednarek (4’), A Armstrong (38’).

Yellow cards: Downes, S Armstrong.

Referee: Sunny Singh Gill.

Attendance: 11,179 (2,413 away).