Saints missed out on a chance of making the last 16 of the Carling Cup as they crashed 3-1 at League 2 Rotherham United.

Giant killing has become a bit of a trend this season at the south Yorkshire club, with fellow Championship sides Sheffield Wednesday and Wolverhampton already being dispatched by Mark Robins' side. The Millers have also had wind in their sails in the league, having almost wiped out a minus 17 point deficit imposed by the Football League.

If winning is indeed a habit, it is one that Saints need to get back into quickly as they now focus solely on their own league campaign.

Head coach Jan Poortvleit made three changes from the side that drew against Barnsley, with Svensson and Lloyd James returning from injury and Bartosz Bialkowski in goal.

The Dutchman also moved Lloyd James into midfield, with the Welsh Under-21 international lining up on the right wing and Surman on the left in an attempt to increase the number of deliveries to McGoldrick up-front.

Adam Lallana and Bradley Wright-Phillips were selected to play just behind the front man with Wotton holding behind with Mills and Cork at full back.

The home side lined up with an attacking 4-3-3 and made their intentions clear from the start as Drewe Broughton got onto the end of an early through ball and put pressure on the Saints back-line.

Ian Sharps then stabbed a 6th minute shot narrowly wide from a corner on the left, as Saints struggled to get a foothold in the game.

Fluid passing and neat attacking play have been the hallmark of this young team's performances this season, and although results may not always have fallen their way, their running and endeavour has never been brought into question.

With an athletics track surrounding the Don Valley pitch, it was perhaps apt to say that Saints never quite made it out of the blocks, and with three stands of the vast stadium bowl empty and just a small slither of Saints fans tucked into the far corner, Poortvliet's men looked out of sorts as they huffed and puffed but couldn't quite make things click.

There were moments, however, such as Lallana's shot that ballooned over the bar after quarter of an hour, or promising runs from McGoldrick that fizzled out in the final third, but nothing that spoke of Saints supposed Championship superiority.

Rotherham took the lead in the 22 minute after another of Andy Nicholas' dangerous long throws had been put out for a corner kick. Bialkowski punched the ball clear, but only as far as Ian Sharps who headed it back into the box.
Defender Nick Fenton then headed goalwards and Joseph Mills appeared to hook the ball clear off the line, before it bounced out via the underside of the bar and Drewe Broughton followed it in before wheeling off to celebrate.

The lineman indicated that it was Fenton's initial effort that crossed the line, but either way Saints now had a mountain to climb.

Surman went close from a free-kick as the first half came to a close and shot over from the edge of the box just moments later, but try as they might, Saints couldn't break the deadlock.

Poortvliet introduced Stern John on 55 minutes as Saints went in search of an equalizer, but the hosts extended the deficit just two minutes later.

Danny Harrison picked up a clearance from a corner on the edge of the area and fired a stunning shot past Bialkowski on the turn. The Saints 'keeper dived to his left, and was possibly unsighted by the players in front, but could do nothing to prevent the bullet strike.

Stern John then upped the stakes with an equally special goal and his first of the season. The Trinidad and Tobago man chested down a long ball forward from Cork, beat his man and unleashed a fantastic right-footed volley that flew into the top left-hand corner.

It provided a spark and Saints upped their game in response as they saw a way back into the match. Poortvliet also introduced Dyer and Pekhart and switched to three up front and three at the back in an attempt to force extra time.

Sadly though it wasn't to be and Rotherham sealed the win with twenty minutes remaining. A mix-up at the back allowed Reuben Reid to square the ball to his left and Broughton tapped home from a yard out as he slipped through unmarked at the far post.

Whilst never traditionally strong in this competition, Poortvliet was aggrieved that his side had not seized their chance to set-up a potentially lucrative tie and turned in an uncharacteristically lackluster performance.

They have just days to get things right, and Saturday's return to Yorkshire to face Doncaster will hopefully provide fans with a happier journey home.

Saints: Bialkowski, Cork, Svensson, Perry (Pekhart, 77), Mills (John, 55), Wotton, James, Lallana, Wright-Phillips (Dyer, 63), Surman, McGoldrick. Subs: Forecast, Paterson, Hatch, Thomson.

Rotherham: Warrington, Tonge, Nicholas, Sharps, Fenton, Harrison, Mills, Cummins, Rhodes, Reid, Broughton. Subs: Cann, Hudson, Burchill, Garcia, Green, Yates, Joseph.

Referee: Mr R.L. Shoebridge.

Attendance: 5,147 (Including 398 Saints fans)