After a 10-minute delay, play resumed and Rotherham reacted sharpest to take a fifth-minute lead as Freddie Ladapo latched on to a loose ball and his deflected shot fell kindly to Lindsay, who cushioned a header beyond Cameron Dawson after rising above Julian Borner.

At the other end, Jack Marriott almost gave Wednesday a swift response and then Joey Pelupessy drove just wide with an effort from distance.

Wednesday, still cut adrift at the bottom after a 12-point deduction before the season, were plunged further into trouble as they went 2-0 down after they were reduced to 10 men in the 40th minute.

Ladapo chased a ball over the top and – after beating Dawson to it – he was hauled down by Tom Lees who was given a straight red card.

Dan Barlaser smashed the resulting penalty beyond Dawson to double the blow and Rotherham's lead.

With Lees off and Aden Flint already replaced due to injury, the visitors had to reshuffle their defence and their depleted team were another goal behind on the brink of half-time with Lindsay completing his double after Dawson had pushed a shot into his path.

Wednesday's only option in the second half was to try and get some pride back and stop Rotherham from adding to their tally.

Neither really looked like happening as a considerably-less eventful second half unfolded.

George Hirst, son of former Wednesday striker David, and the subject of a highly-controversial move away from Hillsborough as a youngster, was introduced by Rotherham boss Paul Warne but it was another former Owl, Richard Wood, who thought he had netted the fourth before he was denied by the offside flag.

Dawson slightly redeemed himself for his first-half performance with a great reaction save to deny Michael Smith from close-range after another ex-Wednesday player in Joe Mattock had delivered dangerously from the left.

Leicester loanee Hirst tried to add further pain but his shot from the edge of the box was easily pushed away by Dawson.