Millers take another huge promotion leap ... on-the-whistle report: Plymouth Argyle 0 Rotherham United 1

The top scorer's strike was enough to settle a stirring contest between the leaders and fifth-placed Plymouth Argyle at Home Park.

With second-placed Wigan Athletic losing, Paul Warne's men took another big step towards promotion with their eighth win in their last nine league outings.

The home side had their chances but Rotherham kept yet another clean sheet and have conceded only five times on their third-tier travels all season.

The visitors were the first to show and Argyle old boy Freddie Ladapo, who'd been booed by the home crowd before kick-off, lashed a shot into the side-netting after being set up by Shane Ferguson's cross-field pass.

Having been the better side, they had a huge let-off on 17 minutes when Jordan Garrick thumped the post with a header he should have buried.

Two great Millers blocks straight afterwards keep the home side at bay before Danny Mayor bent a shot just wide and then had one saved by Josh Vickers.

At the other end, it was Plymouth's turn to get in vital interventions as they kept efforts from Ladapo and Chiedozie Ogbene away from goal.

Fans were out in force on a sunny February day and a 14,000-strong crowd were generating a terrific atmosphere.

Around 700 Millers supporters had made the long trek to the south-west coast and were making themselves heard above the home din.

Ben Wiles let fly from distance and wasn't far away and just past the half-hour mark Ladapo was foiled by Argyle keeper Michael Cooper after being played in by Ollie Rathbone

The Millers had won the opening-day fixture at AESSEAL New York Stadium 2-0 back in August when the centre-forward had scored against his former club and the 29-year-old looked in the mood to do it again.

He rolled his marker and fired off target as Rotherham, after Plymouth's flurry of chances, came right back into the game.

Despite the lack of goals, it was an excellent first half between two good sides who were prepared to attack and also able to defend.

The Millers had made two changes to the side that saw off Morecambe 2-0 in midweek.

They rested skipper Richard Wood and brought Joe Mattock into their three-man backline while Ogbene returned on the right flank in place of Jordi Osei-Tutu.

The second half began with Smith and Ryan Hardie wasting opportunities with wayward crosses that evaded Ladapo and Garrick respectively.

Rotherham had another escape in the 55th minute when Michael Ihiekwe's slip let in Hardie and Garrick should have done better than stab the cross wide.

Ladapo had an attempt blocked before Smith took matters into his own hands on 63 minutes, latching on to the ball inside the area and drilling a low show into the far bottom corner.

Ten minutes later, Hardie missed the chance of the contest, dragging his effort wide after cutting inside Mattock, and was then denied by a crucial save from Josh Vickers when he was again through on goal.

Ryan Broom tested Vickers' reflexes with a fierce shot late on. That would be Plymouth's final opportunity and the last chance fell to Ladapo – whose shot was saved – as the Millers' promotion march goes on.

Plymouth (3-1-4-2): Michael Cooper; James Wilson, James Bolton, Macauley Gillesphey; Jordan Houghton (Luke Jephcott 84); Joe Edwards, Panutche Camara (Ryan Broom 72), Danny Mayor, Conor Grant; Ryan Hardie, Jordan Garrick (Niall Ennis 59). Subs not used: Callum Burton, Steven Sessegnon, Adam Randell, Romoney Chrichlow.

Rotherham United (3-5-2): Josh Vickers; Wes Harding, Michael Ihiekwe, Joe Mattock (Angus MacDonald 79); Chiedozie Ogbene, Ben Wiles, Dan Barlaser (Hakeem Odofffin 61), Ollie Rathbone, Shane Ferguson (Jordi Osei-Tutu 61); Michael Smith, Freddie Ladapo. Subs not used: Viktor Johansson, Richard Wood, Jamie Lindsay, Josh Kayode.

Goals: Smith 63 (Rotherham).

Referee: Will Finnie (Bedfordshire).

Attendance: 14,193 (689).