Manager Matt Taylor reacts to defeat for Rotherham United as the Millers are made to wait for safety by Cardiff City

A win at home to Cardiff City tonight would have virtually guaranteed the Millers' safety but they slipped to a 2-1 defeat against the Bluebirds as they conceded late on to lose for the second successive match.

Their fate remains in their own hands as they head into their last two fixtures, at home to Middlesbrough on Monday and away to Wigan Athletic on May 8.

"We'll let the players grieve for a day tomorrow. It's important they feel down," Taylor said. "Then it's two huge games."

Rotherham are in 20th spot, three points above third-bottom Reading.

The boss said his team were "out-powered" by the visitors who all but made mathematically ensured their own survival with their victory

“It’s a tough blow right at the end," Taylor said. "It was a really gutting moment. Their frontline caused us constant problems."

Cardiff went in front early on through Kion Etete and then Sory Kaba missed a penalty on the stroke of half-time after Chiedozie Ogbene had equalised for the Millers. The home side looked set to take a point until Cedric Kipre won it at the death for the Bluebirds.

“Their threat was obvious and we tried to address that at half-time," Taylor said. "We got away with the penalty miss. We looked a bit nervy every time the ball got in and around our backline in the first half. I was so pleased that we got back into the game.

“I don’t think the tension affected us too much. I think the opposition pushed us into some scary moments and their physicality told. They out-powered us at times.”

City manager Sabri Lamouchi said: “It is not mathematically done but we are so close. The players deserved the win. I saw my players with the right mentality. We created the chances."