Kasey Palmer’s first-half double maintained the Town’s promotion push with a seventh win in nine games at already relegated Rotherham.

The midfielder hit his sixth and seventh goals in his last 10 matches to keep the Hatters three points behind the final play-off place with just two games to go in a professional display at the New York Stadium.

The Hatters, who knew nothing less than victory could end their promotion hopes, started brightly and were ahead in the eighth minute.

Shayden Morris was the creator, his cross from the right finding Palmer in space in the penalty area to send a first-time finish past Rotherham goalkeeper Ted Cann.

Playing with freedom and confidence, Palmer set-up Davy van den Berg two minutes later to shoot straight at Cann.

Former Rotherham defender Hakeem Odoffin denied the hosts an equaliser on 18 minutes when heading clear Cohen Lee’s effort with Josh Keeley beaten before Keeley needed to be at his best to keep the Millers at bay 10 minutes later when making a superb sprawling save from a long-range piledriver from Jamal Baptiste.

Rotherham’s pressure sparked the Town into life and Palmer smashed a left-foot effort inches over the bar following Nahki Wells’ knock-down on 36 minutes but the Jamaica international was not to be denied a just before half-time.

Morris was the provider once again, darting down the right to cross for Palmer and his header flew past Cann for his and the Town’s second.

In command at the break, the Hatters almost had a third 10 minutes after the restart when Emilio Lawrence’s shot was stopped by Cann and Wells’ follow-up up rattled the underside of the crossbar.

For a moment it looked as though the miss would prove costly as former Hatter Sam Nombe spurned a glorious chance to pull one back for Rotherham when the striker headed over from close range.

As the half wore on the more the Millers pressed. Odoffin threw himself in front of a goal-bound drive from Harry Gray and substitute Jack Holmes, whose brief cameo would earn him the hosts’ man-of-the-match award, shot over with 20 to play.

As time ticked down, the Town almost created a third when substitutes Gideon Kodua and Ali Al-Hamadi combined only to see the former’s cross blocked behind.

Keeley got down well to deny Denzel Hall as the hosts pushed for a late consolation but the Hatters held on to record another win to keep the pressure on those teams above them in the table.

It’s Barnsley next at a sell-out Kenilworth Road on Saturday for the final home league game of the season.

It’s the hope that kills you…

See you then.

UTT.

Town: Keeley, Lonwijk, Lawrence (sub Sandal 86), Johnson, Odoffin, Naismith, Walsh (sub Saville 73), van den Berg (sub Kodua 61), Palmer, Morris (sub Richards 61), Wells (sub Al-Hamadi 73).

Subs not used: Shea, Al-Hamadi, Cole, Saville, Richards, Kodua.

Attendance: 7,497, including 650 backing the Hatters