Last-gasp misery for Millers ... on-the-whistle report: Rotherham United 1 Crewe Alexandra 1

The Millers had dominated the clash and looked to be easing to victory as the clock ticked down following Ollie Rathbone's first goal for the club.

But they conceded an 89th-minute penalty and had to settle for a point despite racking up chance after chance throughout the encounter.

Substitute striker Freddie Ladapo spurned a glorious opporunity to double their advantage just before the spot-kick incident which saw Wes Harding sent off.

Amid the frustration, Rotherham still moved up a place in the table to fifth.

They were on top from the start and in the sixth minute Will Grigg went close in the sixth minute.

Dan Barlaser won possession and fed Michael Smith who played in his fellow striker to shoot just wide from the right.

The Millers should have taken the lead seven minutes later when Ben Wiles skipped past his marker down the left and teed up Chiedozie Ogbene.

With the net gaping, the winger could only sky his effort high over the bar.

Smith miscued in front of goal and a Grigg header was blocked as the home side cranked up the pressure.

The game had reached the 23rd minute before the visitors, who had arrived in 22nd place, had an effort on goal, Luke Murphy's low shot from the edge of the area giving Viktor Johansson an easy gather.

Crewe are managed by Rotherham old boy David Artell and the 40-year-old had received a warm reception from the home fans.

Otherwise, New York remained pretty quiet as the contest went nowhere for a while.

On a warm autumnal afternoon, Rathbone suddenly livened up proceedings by robbing Luke Murphy in the 33rd minute, driving forward and unleashed a shot that flew just wide.

That got the Millers moving and soon afterwards Grigg was on the end of a dangerous Joe Mattock cross but his header was kept  out by Will Jaaskelainen's save and then the loanee fired off target when he was freed by Rathbone's pass.

With the chances mounting, Tolaji Bola headed over on his New York debut and Jaaskelainen was booked for time-wasting at a goal-kick as Crewe tried to take the sting out of the home side.

There had been other instances of delaying tactics earlier in the half and the ploy had worked as Artell's men went in at the break still level.

Rotherham manager Paul Warne had kept faith with the side that had won so impressively 2-0 at Bolton Wanderers last weekend.

A strong bench included Ladapo and winger Shane Ferguson, both fit again after foot injuries.

Six minutes after the restart, yet another opportunity went begging, Dan Barlaser shooting straight at Jaaskelainen after a scramble in the box, and seconds later Smith headed substitute Ferguson's cross off target.

Better things were just around the corner, though, and the Millers finally went in front on 54 minutes as Rathbone closed down an attempted clearance and ran in on goal to finish confidently into the bottom corner.

The chances continued to come and Ramarni Edmonds-Green flashed a header wide from Ferguson's corner not long after the hour mark before Wiles was inches over from outside the area.

Rotherham were controlling the contest as the clocked ticked down and Ferguson saw his low shot at the back post saved with ten minutes remaining.

However, they were indebted to Johansson in the 83rd minute for preserving their advantage when the goalkeeper spread himself and was equal to the shot of sub Chris Porter who had been picked out by Murphy's pass.

On 88 minutes Ladapo should have wrapped up the points but somehow put his close-range effort over the bar.

Then came the gut-wrenching sucker-punch when Harding brought down Porter and the referee pointed to the spot.

The sub was dismissed for a second yellow card and Porter buried the penalty.

The only chance in stoppage time was a Wiles header over, leaving the gutted Millers to rue throwing away two points.

Rotherham (3-5-2): Viktor Johansson; Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Richard Wood, Joe Mattock (Wes Harding H-T); Chiedozie Ogbene, Ben Wiles, Dan Barlaser, Ollie Rathbone, Tolaji Bola (Shane Ferguon H-T); Will Grigg (Freddie Ladapo 71), Michael Smith. Subs not used: Josh Vickers, Michael Ihiekwe, Jamie Lindsay, Kieran Sadlier.

Crewe (3-5-2): Will Jaaskelainen; Billy Sass-Davies, Donervon Daniels, Luke Offord; Kayne Ramsay, Luke Murphy, Scott Robertson, Callum Ainley (Josh Lundstram 45+2), Rio Adebisi; Scott Kashket (Chris Porter 57), Mikael Mandron. Subs not used: Dave Richards, Oli Finney, Callum McFadzean, Madger Gomes, Travis Johnson.

Goals: Rathbone 54 (Rotherham); Porter pen 89 (Crewe).

Referee: Sam Allison (Wiltshire).

Attendance: 8,747 (343).