Royals' striker scored with two perfect finishes in the 54th and 64th minute after Jamie Mackie had put the home side ahead with another cracker on the half-hour mark.

And nobody will have celebrated the comfortable victory more that under-pressure Royals boss Nigel Adkins.

Reading had won only one of the previous eight Championship matches, and that came against rock-bottom Blackpool in their last fixture at Madejski Stadium.

Suddenly, a poor run that saw Reading lose six games out of nine in all competitions left critics and fans questioning his tactics.

But Adkins got it spot on against the Millers who offered little threat of their own on the night.

Royals' boss wielded the axe and made five changes to the side which started in the 3-1 defeat at Blackburn on Saturday.

Fit-again summer signing Anton Ferdinand was handed his debut in central defence at long last, and Stephen Kelly came in for his first start of the season following a long battle with a calf injury.

There was also a welcome return from injury for Danny Williams in central midfield after surgery at the beginning of the season.

Mackie and Cox - both controversially dropped to the bench for the defeat at Blackburn – were also recalled to the starting XI.

Jake Cooper, Hope Akpan, Jake Taylor, Nick Blackman and Hal Robson-Kanu were the men to drop out of the starting XI from Saturday, while Pavel Pogrebnyak was not involved at all after picking up a knock.

With so many changes it took Reading time to settle and Rotherham posed a threat in a lethargic start to the game.

Millers midfielder Paul Green tested Adam Federici from 35 yards in the 16th minute, while Glenn Murray was inches away from connecting with Jordan Obita's left-wing cross at the other end.

But it took a brilliant piece of skill from Mackie to break the deadlock on the half-hour mark.

Kelly set off on a marauding run down the right and whipped in a perfect ball to Mackie's feet.

The Royals winger checked his run, took one touch and hit a curling shot on the turn beyond Collin and into the far corner from 15 yards out.

The sense of relief around the Madejski Stadium was clear, and suddenly Royals began to play with a swagger.

Just two minutes later Cox forced an excellent save from Collin with an effort at the back post.

Then the excellent Mackie burst into the Millers box, only for Collin to make a brilliant save to keep out his angled shot.

And as Royals piled on the pressure are half-time approached, Oliver Norwood was desperately unlucky to see his exquisite free-kick from wide out on the left crash off the crossbar with Collin well beaten.

Sadly, not everything went Reading's way after Ferdinand failed to reappear for the second half after aggravating his hamstring, and was replaced by Hector.

And Rotherham fired a warning shot five minutes into the second half when Kari Arnason was left unmarked at a corner, only for Federici to punch the defender's header clear at his near post.

Yet Royals snatched an all-important second goal on 54 minutes to give themselves some breathing space.

It was the simplest of goals too. Federici's punt upfield was flicked on to Murray. The striker took the ball on and played a beautifully-weighted pass to Cox who hit a low, first-time shot past Collin without breaking stride.

And 10 minutes later Cox was at it again with his second of the night and seventh of the season, and a quality finish at that.

He controlled Norwood's reverse pass with a brilliant first touch before swivelling and volleying past Collin from just inside the box.

There was no way back for the Millers and Reading controlled the game from there and grew in confidence with every pass.

They almost snatched a fourth when Mackie ran through on 77 minutes only to curl an effort narrowly wide.

But Reading had done more than enough to secure the points and their second win in three matches.

The victory moved them up to 13th in the Championship table and six points off the play-offs.

Adkins' men will aim to make it three successive wins at home when they host Charlton Athletic this Saturday (3pm ko).

Reading (4-4-2): Federici - Kelly, Ferdinand (Hector 46), Pearce, Gunter (c) - Mackie, Williams (Akpan 67), Norwood, Obita – Cox (Taylor 89), Murray Subs not used: Andersen, Cooper, Blackman, Robson-Kanu. Booked: Akpan 71.

Rotherham (4-4-2): Collin - Richardson, Morgan, Arnason (Milsom 76), Skarz (Broadfoot 67) - Smallwood, Green, Frecklington (Bowery 67), Pringle - Revell, Derbyshire. Subs: Loach, Swift, Taylor, Clarke-Harris. Booked: Arnason 70.

Referee: Andy Woolmer.

Attendance: 13,775 (Rotherham 342).

SEE THURSDAY'S READING CHRONICLE FOR REPORT, REACTION AND PICTURES FROM TONIGHT'S GAME