Rotherham United fans were treated to a performance for the ages as their side stunned Exeter City 4-0 at St James Park in a League One clash on January 31, 2026. The Millers, fresh off a morale-boosting victory over Northampton Town, delivered a clinical display that not only ended Exeter’s impressive unbeaten home run but also propelled Rotherham out of the relegation zone on goal difference. The match, witnessed by over 7,000 spectators, will be remembered for its breathtaking spell of three goals in just five second-half minutes, a feat that left the home crowd in disbelief and sent the away section into raptures.
Coming into the fixture, Exeter City had not tasted defeat at home for four months, boasting five consecutive clean sheets and sitting comfortably in 13th place. Rotherham, meanwhile, began the day in the relegation zone, but recent January signings and a newfound sense of togetherness under manager Matt Hamshaw hinted at a resurgence. The visiting squad featured several familiar faces for Exeter supporters, including former Grecians Cameron Dawson, Zak Jules, and Sam Nombe, all of whom played pivotal roles in the Millers’ promotion-winning campaign just a few seasons ago.
The opening exchanges saw Exeter City start brightly, with Ilmari Niskanen and Carlos Mendes Gomes testing the Rotherham defense. A clever free-kick routine nearly paid dividends for the hosts as Jake Doyle-Hayes forced a sharp save from Dawson, but the Millers’ resolve was clear from the outset. Rotherham’s first real chance came when Nombe, eager to make an impression against his former club, burst through on goal only to drag his shot wide under pressure from the recovering defense.
The breakthrough arrived in the 29th minute, and it was a moment Exeter’s defense will want to forget. Joe Powell whipped in a menacing free-kick, and Jamal Baptiste, rising highest at the far post, diverted the ball past Joe Whitworth to give the visitors a shock lead. The goal marked the first time Exeter had conceded at home since early November, snapping their impressive run of defensive solidity.
As the first half wore on, both sides carved out half-chances, but it was Rotherham who looked increasingly dangerous on the counter. The Millers suffered a setback when midfielder Daniel Gore, on loan from Manchester United, was forced off with an injury before halftime, replaced by Emmanuel Adegboyega. Exeter pressed for an equalizer, with Jayden Wareham and Mendes Gomes going close, but the Rotherham defense, marshaled by captain Joe Rafferty and Dawson in goal, stood firm.
The second half began with Exeter pushing forward in search of a leveller. Nombe, however, continued to torment his former teammates, forcing a sprawling save from Whitworth and threatening on the break. The home side’s possession was largely sterile, with Rotherham content to soak up pressure and strike on the counterattack—a tactic that would soon pay spectacular dividends.
Then came the game’s defining passage. In the 70th minute, Nombe shrugged off a strong challenge—amid protests from the home fans—and squared the ball to Rafferty, who rifled his shot into the roof of the net to double Rotherham’s advantage. The away supporters had barely finished celebrating when, straight from the restart, 17-year-old Harry Gray was afforded too much space on the edge of the area. The Leeds United loanee, already making headlines for becoming Rotherham’s youngest ever goalscorer just days earlier, coolly slotted home to make it 3-0, sending the traveling fans into dreamland.
Gray’s goal capped a remarkable week for the teenager, who had scored his first senior goal in the previous match against Northampton Town. That strike had already seen him break a club record set by Trevor Phillips in 1970, as he found the net at just 17 years and 111 days old. Manager Matt Hamshaw was effusive in his praise after the Northampton game, stating, “Harry scores his first senior goal which is amazing for him and it couldn’t have gone better with Manny Adegboyega scoring. They’re two players we’ve brought in this window and they’ve made a huge impact.”
Back at St James Park, Rotherham were not finished. Barely two minutes after Gray’s strike, Shaun McWilliams completed the blitz, arriving in the box to convert Nombe’s cross and make it 4-0. The home fans, stunned by the rapid-fire collapse, began to file out as the Millers celebrated a result that not only secured their first away league win since October but also injected fresh hope into their survival bid.
Exeter manager Gary Caldwell was candid in his post-match assessment, acknowledging the gulf in performance: “We weren’t good enough, Rotherham were better than us and we have to react in a really positive way at Mansfield next week.” Caldwell’s side, who had made three changes from their dramatic late draw at Reading, simply couldn’t match Rotherham’s intensity and were punished for a sluggish second half. The defeat marked Exeter’s heaviest home loss since a 6-2 reverse to Leyton Orient in January 2025 and brought an abrupt end to their nine-match unbeaten home run in all competitions.
For Rotherham, the result capped a remarkable turnaround. Just days earlier, they had come from behind to beat Northampton Town 2-1, with Gray and Adegboyega both finding the net. In that match, Gray impressed with 33 touches, two shots on target, and over 140 metres covered with the ball, underlining his growing influence in the side. Hamshaw, reflecting on the recent run, said, “We’re a bit low on confidence, on a run of defeats and then all of a sudden we get a bit of a spark.” That spark, it seems, has now become a blaze.
With seven points from their last three games, Rotherham have climbed out of the bottom four and now sit just six points behind Exeter. The blend of youthful exuberance—epitomized by Gray—and experienced heads like Rafferty and Nombe has given the Millers renewed belief as they fight for League One survival. The mood in the away dressing room was one of justified pride, with Hamshaw describing the display as “an unbelievable performance, this is not an easy place to come.”
As the dust settles on a wild night in Devon, Rotherham fans can dare to dream of an escape from relegation, while Exeter will need to regroup ahead of their next fixture at Mansfield Town. For now, though, all eyes are on the Millers’ remarkable resurgence and the emergence of a new teenage star in Harry Gray, whose goals and energy have lit up a season that, until recently, looked destined for disappointment.