Millers full-back Tonge had copped a fair bit of banter for his drought in front of goal since heading across the Dearne Valley from Barnsley in the summer of 2007.

Most especially from fellow defender Brogan, in gloating mode last autumn when he notched his first goal in Millers colours after beating Tonge to the particular milestone.

Stick was promptly handed in Tonge's direction and continued right up until late last month when the Bolton-upon-Dearne born ace finally got his own back, with Brogan made to pay!

Tonge, who failed to find the net during his spell at Barnsley, notched his first-ever senior goal in the Millers' 2-1 success at Macclesfield on October 25.

Just for good measure, the right-back, who made his debut for the Reds in April 2004, hit another in the superb 2-0 Johnstone Paint Trophy quarter-final slaying of Leicester in midweek – with the goals suddenly arriving like London buses.

On ending his barren streak, Tonge told Yorkshire Sport: "I had a funny little bet with Steve (Brogan), because I never thought I'd score my first goal.

"We bet that if I scored, he'd have to dye his hair to the colour of my choice. And it's now red!

"I'd hit the bar and post a lot with Barnsley and couldn't score last season with Rotherham, so it was a massive relief to get the first goal.

"I'm not doing too bad on the goalscoring front now, to be fair, after the Leicester game.

"It was only a little sliding dink from ten yards out, but I'll take them when they come.

"Everyone is contributing on the scoring front.

"Our centre-halves have got three or four goals each, the strikers have got four or five and the midfielders have chipped in with two or three.

"That has helped take the pressure off the strikers, so that can only be good for the team."

Tonge's late strike against the Foxes – one of boss Mark Robins' former clubs – added the gloss to another magic cup night for the Millers, with Don Valley Stadium rapidly becoming a real giant-killing cauldron.

The likes of Hereford's Edgar Street and Yeovil's old Huish ground famously assumed legendary status in cup folklore for delivering a fair few upsets.

And given Carling Cup home wins over Southampton and Wolves and JPT triumphs over Leeds and Leicester, United's temporary home is rapidly becoming the latest addition to the list.

The Foxes' success leaves the Millers – Autowindscreens Shield winners in 1996 – three games away from Wembley, but Tonge insists no-one is getting carried away yet.

The 23-year-old, a sub' in Barnsley's thrilling League One play-off final penalty-shoot-out success over Swansea at the Millennium Stadium in May 2006, said:

"Obviously, beating Leeds was a massive scalp for us and a good test to see how far we'd come.