MATCHDAY CENTRE: Signs of progress for Millers

When the opposition is Newcastle United, boosted by £50 million worth of summer talent and a Champions League winning manager, the valiant underdogs deserve nothing less.

Rotherham United not only gave it a right good go on Saturday, they got the fans back onside.

It was a glimpse of the Millers of old, competitive, undaunted, playing with a real purpose and belief.

The league table still doesn't make good reading and it will be nearly another fortnight until Alan Stubbs and his players can do anything about it.

Norwich, Birmingham and Reading lay in wait after the international break, hardly an easy run, but that run of matches doesn't look quite as daunting as they did a fortnight ago.

After running high-flying Huddersfield close in midweek, Rotherham took it on a stage further against the Toon. Rather than hanging in, as they had to do for large parts of that Yorkshire derby, they were the ones doing a lot of the dictating, particularly in the first 45.

A moment of quality turned the match, Christian Atsu's delicious 41st minute curler an undeserved end to the best half the Millers have produced this season. 

The excellent Dominic Ball and the back line laid a strong base, the centre-half's early clearance off the line from Yoan Gouffran a rare scare before Newcastle were pressed back.

Joe Newell's dipper demanded a good save, Jon Taylor's deflected drive clipped the bar and Tom Adeyemi had Karl Darlow scrambling.

Atsu, on loan from Chelsea and making his full debut, gave the half-time score an unrealistic look. The fact referee Roger East missed a push on Lee Frecklington in the build-up made it harder to take.

Visiting boss Rafael Benitez paced his technical area, unhappy with what he was seeing. He was happier with the second half, his side drawing the sting from the Millers and playing the match more on their terms.

That still shouldn't undermine the way Rotherham stayed in the game, their soft underbelly nowhere to be seen. They made Newcastle work for their chances and when they did break through, Fry popped up to deny Mohamed Diame and Lee Camp was equal to punts from Atsu and Jonjo Shelvey.

They say teams at the bottom don't get the run of the ball and the final few minutes served a reminder, Gouffran shanking a clearance against his own post and the resulting corner ending with Ciaran Clark shovelling off the line from substitute Will Vaulks’ header.

There were no cat calls and boos at the final whistle this time, just appreciation for a great effort that boss Stubbs reciprocated and, maybe, signs of better things to come.