Three points, five goals, three successive clean sheets and seven league wins in a row – it all adds up to spot at the top of the table for Rotherham United Women.

Sheffield and Chesterfield (second and fourth at the moment) may have games in hand, but the Millers are putting points on the board week after week.

This game against Nottingham Trent University was won by half-time thanks to two goals each from Beth Howarth and Alesha Gale, allowing Adam Rawlings to rotate the side and spread out the match minutes, before sub Caitlin O’Callaghan rattled a shot home in the closing stages to seal a 5-0 victory.

Trent rustled up a handful of chances in the second half but couldn’t beat Ashleigh Ridsdel-Harrison between the Millers sticks.

Gale set things rolling on 22 minutes with a raking ball into the inside-left channel.

Howarth turned onto her left foot and struck for goal, her shot squirming under Trent keeper Piper O’Neill and over the line.

Gale, who had already smacked the right-hand post with a fierce drive, gobbled up her next chance, meeting Molly Corke’s far-post cross to head home.

The striker added a third minutes later, beating the offside trap to find herself with the freedom of the away penalty box and keeping her cool to curl home.

Howarth made it four just before the break. Whether it was a shot or a cross only the midfielder herself will know but whatever the intention, Howarth’s lofted left-footed effort looped beyond O’Neill to put the result beyond doubt.

Trent put the home defence under increased pressure at the resumption and the Millers were thankful Ridsdel-Harrison was equal to anything the university side could throw at her.

O’Callaghan and Gale were both smartly denied by O’Neill at the other end, while Sidni Simmons’ attempt to repeat her free kick heroics of two weeks ago fell short when the defender fired a set piece straight at the Trent keeper.

O’Callaghan claimed the reward for an energetic display off the bench with 15 minutes left.

Fellow sub Lily-May Jackson found the striker with a telling ball through the heart of the away defence, and the striker raced away to hammer past the despairing dive of O’Neill.

It was the icing on a very tasty cake of football fare at Roundwood, which remains a fortress for the Millers with just one home game to go.

That comes on Sunday against Mansfield Town (kick-off at 2pm) as Rotherham continue to fight to the last for a promotion spot which has moved from the “impossible” category into the “maybe, just maybe” one thanks to a spectacular run of results.

Write off the Millers at your peril.