Carabao Cup: Stoke 6-1 Rotherham: Potters hammer Millers to reach Carabao Cup third round

Two-goal Josh Laurent scored his first goals at the Bet 365 Stadium since January

Stoke City reached the third round of the Carabao Cup in style as they hit Rotherham United for six at the Bet 365 Stadium.

Skipper Josh Laurent scored twice, Tyrese Campbell scored his first goal of the season and three summer signings Wouter Burger, Ryan Mmaee and Mehdi Leris all got on the scoresheet too.

Rotherham defender Sean Morrison briefly gave his side hope when he responded to early goals by Burger, on his home debut, and Mmaee, with his first for the club, to pull one back on 22 minutes.

But the Potters, who also beat Rotherham 4-1 on the opening day of the Championship season just 24 days ago, ran in two more before the break from Laurent and Campbell.

Laurent then drilled in the goal of the night early in the second half before Leris also found the net on his home debut to complete the Potters' biggest win since beating Steven Gerrard's Liverpool 6-1 on the final day of the season in May 2015.

Stoke have now won all four home games this season. This one looked on the cards from the second minute when Dutchman Burger, making his full debut following last week's arrival from FC Basel, drove home from long range before Mmaee doubled the advantage, beautifully bending in on 18 minutes.

Morrison's header from a Cafu corner halved the deficit, but Stoke restored their two-goal lead when Laurent arrowed a shot into the bottom corner before Campbell curled number four in off the crossbar.

Laurent then latched onto Campbell's headed pass for his second goal of the night on 55 minutes before setting up goal number six for Leris, another of Stoke's 14 summer captures only signed last week, with a fine finish 18 minutes from time.