Scarborough's mini-revival came to a shuddering halt in a disappointing dose of deja-vu against a rampant Rotherham.

It was the second time this season the Seasiders have suffered a 4-0 hammering at the hands of the Millers.

Back in November, Boro were bossed by Mick Wadsworth and it was another depressing display for his replacement, Colin Addison.

The new chief was making his first appearance at the McCain Stadium and in front of Scarborough's biggest crowd of the season.

But sad Scarborough simply refused to rise to the occasion and looked a shadow of the team that had secured three points at Chester City in midweek.

Rotherham, despite three new debut signings in their defence, were simply too strong for Boro, a fact accepted by Addison.

"We were well beaten and can have no excuses," he admitted. "We were second best all over the field."

The writing was on the wall for Boro in the early exchanges.

Towering centre-forward Leo-Fortune West seemed to unnerve teenage centre-back Michael McNaughton with his presence while at the opposite end of the field former Middlesbrough and Ipswich defender Phil Whelan, a loan-signing from Oxford, was giving in-form striker Chris Tate little room for manoeuvre.

It was no surprise when Rotherham took the lead on 17 minutes. A floated Steve Thompson corner was crying out for a clearing header but while the Boro defence dallied Whelan pounced to head home from six yards.

Moments later and the Seasiders nearly grabbed a spectacular equaliser. A Gary Porter free-kick found Rennison whose stunning overhead kick was just tipped over by Mark Pollitt in the Rotherham goal.

Disaster struck for Boro just seven minutes before half-time.

Chris Sedgwick found himself in acres of space down the right and whipped in a teasing, bouncing cross. Paul Hurst, arriving at the far post, headed the ball past a helpless Tony Parks.

Boro needed an early breakthrough after the break and were handed a gilt-edged opportunity to reduce the deficit when top-scorer Steve Brodie was sent racing clear by a Darren Roberts' flick-on.

But the impish striker-cum-midfielder seemed to take an age to pull the trigger giving Hurst enough time to slide-in and clear the danger. It was to prove a match defining moment - and possibly a season defining moment too.

A minute later and Rotherham were 3-0 up thanks to a wonder strike from Paul Warne.

With his back to goal on the edge of the Boro box he juggled a long clearance up into the air before turning sharply and lashing an unstoppable volley past Parks.

Tate nearly matched Warne's blast with a 35-yard thunderbolt that cannoned off the Rotherham cross-bar.

But with time running out for Boro, Fortune-West brought his tally against the Seasiders for this season to three when he drilled home the lose ball after an almighty scramble in the Boro box.

Deep into injury time, a Porter corner fell to Liam Robinson on the edge of the Rotherham area only for his shot to hit the corner flag.

It seemed a fitting end to a sad day for the Seasiders.

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