Rotherham United: Dull, rubbish, bottlers ... were you watching, Piers Morgan? Millers 2 AFC Wimbledon 0

Michael Smith, second left, celebrates his goal. Pictures: Chris Etchells

In the week when Piers Morgan very publicly questioned them, Rotherham United came up with all the answers.

Morgan had taken umbrage at criticism on social media from midfielder Will Vaulks who was no fan of his chummy TV one-on-one with American president Donald Trump.

If you played for the Millers, you must be “dull”, “rubbish”, a “bottler”, the interviewer’s Twitter reply implied.

That would be the side who are now unbeaten in their last 10 matches and up to fifth in League One, the team who have scored in 23 consecutive games and haven’t conceded in their last three outings.

AFC Wimbledon arrived at AESSEAL New York Stadium with a five-game unbeaten record of their own and were no mugs. Rotherham, whose play-off aspirations are growing more real by the week, matched them for effort and beat them on quality.

The Millers haven’t lost since December 2, their defence has been breached only twice in 2018 and 10 games have brought 24 points.

“Once you’re in the play-off reckoning, you don’t want to drop out of it,” said manager Paul Warne whose pre-season aim was the top 10. “I’d be stupid to sit here and say we’re not trying to at least get in the play-offs. We are, and we’re giving ourselves every opportunity.

“I say to the lads before every game: ‘Don’t wast a year of your career, don’t waste a day of your life.’ They’re enjoying playing football. They’re a close group. That gives me a lot of pride.”

Vaulks was tweeting again after the match, revelling in the victory, praising his teammates.

Long may this dull, bottling rubbish continue.

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Targetman Michael Smith had to depart in the 67th minute with a facial injury, sustained in the first half, which simply refused to stop bleeding.

His busted hooter matched the colour of the shirt he’d been forced to change at least three times, but by then he’d already shown his nose for a goal.

The January signing scored for the second time in two starts as a superb 14th-minute ball from Joe Newell found him in the penalty area to give Rotherham the half-time lead they deserved.

“‘Smudge’ went through about six blood shirts, eight pairs of shorts and 10 pairs of socks,” joked Warne. “We had to take him off because we kept going down to 10 men while he changed his gear.”