Pools Reserves ran out comfortable winners at Billingham Town as a first half super-show helped them sweep Rotherham United aside and collect three points.

Ian Butterworth's side rarely looked in trouble and got off to a great start by racing in to a two-goal lead, with the Millers unable to cope with their busy attacking play.

Michael Mackay rattled in the first when he was fed in on the right side of the penalty area - his low finish flew past visiting keeper Jamie Annerson.

And David Foley soon doubled the lead when he found space on the edge of the area to curl home an exquisite left-foot shot in to the top left-hand corner of the net.

Ryan Taylor had a chance to put Rotherham back in the game but volleyed over from close range, while Foley almost found the net again with a powerful effort which skimmed the post.

The third goal did arrive for Pools soon after though, as a deep cross from the impressive Matty Robson evaded the keeper and found Young whose attempt at the shot on the volley rolled across goal for Mackay to tap in his second of the afternoon.

However, the Millers hit back with a fantastic goal from Mark Hudson; when the ball broke loose on the edge of the area following a corner he smashed it back through a crowd of players and it flashed past Mark Cook and in to the net.

The respite was brief for Rotherham though as it was soon 4-1. Jonny Rowell's ran skilfully towards the box before passing to Matty Tymon; he slipped an incisive ball through to Foley who powered a shot in to the net.

With the game effectively over at the break the second half was a more subdued affair; Martin Young had a shot cleared off the line, while at the other end Cook saved well from Marc Joseph's pile-driver.

The final goal of the game arrived when Robson surged forward purposefully, exchanged possession with Tymon before storming through on goal and drilling the ball low under the keeper.

"I thought it was an excellent performance, particularly in the first half," Butterworth commented afterwards.

"The movement of all the players and the attacking play was superb and we cut them to pieces in the first half really.

"There is going to be at least one place up for grabs in our game at Brighton on Saturday and all these lads can do is keep knocking on the door and performances like today help with that."

Full Time: Pools 5 Rotherham United 1

Pools: Cook, McCunnie, Robson (Ellison 72), G Liddle (C Liddle 65), Tait, Power, Young, Rowell, Tymon, Mackay, Foley (Sharples 72).
Subs not used: Blackford, Thomas.

Rotherham United: Annerson, Darkin, Green, Hudson, Joseph, Haggerty (Burgin 70), Yates, Holmes, Taylor, Burchill, Austin.
Subs not used: Vernon, Hemsley, Darley, Cann.