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Daryl Murphy's first career hat-trick fired Ipswich to an easy Championship win over struggling Rotherham.

Brett Pitman steered in Kevin Bru's cross before Jonathan Douglas thumped in a 25-yard shot to double the lead.

Murphy pounced on poor defending either side of half-time to make it 4-0, his first goals of the season.

Manchester City loanee Brandon Barker's superb strike and Matt Derbyshire's volley reduced the deficit, but Murphy had the final say with a low finish.

The hosts fell behind early on when poor defending from Paul Green allowed Bru to whip in a cross which Pitman sent into the bottom corner.

It got worse for Green when he was robbed of possession by Douglas, who advanced and planted a low 25-yard shot into the bottom corner.

Millers keeper Lee Camp produced two superb saves, but Murphy made it 3-0 before half-time when more slack defending allowed him to slam home from eight yards.

And just three minutes after the break Murphy capitalised on more generous defending to drill home from an angle.

Debutant Barker cut inside and sent an arrowing shot into the top corner from 20 yards before Derbyshire superbly volleyed home from the edge of the area.

But Murphy completed his hat-trick with a low finish as the Tractor Boys made it four matches unbeaten and consigned rock-bottom United to their fifth defeat in six.

Rotherham United manager Neil Redfearn:

"It started in the first minute, really tentative, nervous, I don't understand why we needed to play like that.

"We were really negative in midfield, we didn't get close to them, we didn't work hard enough, we didn't do the ugly stuff well.

"The biggest thing for me is the bare minimum the supporters can expect is the effort, the endeavour and whoever comes to play is in a game.

"If we're a little bit short and they're better then you can't get round that. But the goals are so easy, Ipswich haven't had to work hard for their goals."

Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy:

"It was a great game for us, it should have been better, but I don't know how better a 5-2 victory away from home gets.

"Overall, it was an outstanding performance, we put five in and we could have put another three or four in. We were running riot in the first half.

"I'll enjoy the result and performance, but their two goals could have cost us. I don't like that, we should have been more secure than that."