On-the-whistle report: Rotherham United 1 Cardiff City 2

The Millers were locked at 1-1 with the visitors following Matt Crooks' equaliser and chasing a winner to further boost their survival Championship fight when they were hit by the Bluebirds' match-clinching goal.

They deserved at least a point for their endeavours and will wonder what they had to do to earn a spot-kick decision from referee Geoff Eltringham.

Even in defeat they remained out of the drop zone, staying in 20th spot but using up one of their two games in hand on the teams around them.

Lewis Wing could have snatched a leveller with the very last kick of the game only to fire over the bar.

In sub-zero temperatures, two big, physical sides fought for superiority and there were few sights of goal early on.

After Perry Ng had given Viktor Johansson a comfortable save, Michael Smith threatened a breakthrough with a well-struck low shot in the 18th minute that just missed the target.

The Millers striker is a man in form and wasn't scared to try his luck again six minutes later, breaking down the right and forcing Dillon Phillips into a save with another confident effort.

Rotherham were on top and Cardiff needed a number of crucial blocks to keep the ball from their goal.

Home shouts for a penalty went unheeded when Smith fell under a challenge from Aden Flint on the half-hour mark and then the Millers forward brought a superb stop from Phillips with a header.

Johansson produced a stop to match the quality of Phillips' intervention, diving full length to push away Kieffer's Moore's drive across goal.

There were familiar faces in the visitors' line-up. Midfield man Will Vaulks became a fans' favourite for his endeavours in his three years with the Millers while striker Moore kick-started his career with a successful New York loan spell in 2017.

They saw their side take a 42nd-minute lead against the run of play as Liverpool loanee Sheyi Ojo broke away to finish well past Johansson.

The half ended with Rotherham again appealing in vain for a spot-kick, this time for a foul on Richard Wood.

Manager Paul Warne had made five changes to the team that had won at Preston North End at the weekend, restoring prolific duo Smith and Matt Crooks up front and skipper Wood at the back.

Matt Olosunde came back in on the right flank and Ben Wiles started in place of the injured Jamie Lindsay in midfield.

A welome sight on the bench was winger Kieran Sadlier, back in the fold for the first time since suffering an ankle injury in November.

Johansson pulled off an amazing save to keep the Millers in the contest two minutes after the restart, stretching out his left arm to thwart Sean Morrison who must have been certain he was about to score.

Snow was beginning to swirl as Johansson held on to Moore's 56th-minute header.

It was coming down much heavier five minutes later when the Millers forced their way back into the contest.

Lewis Wing's pass inside the full-back set Smith free to cross perfectly for Crooks who was in the right place to tap home.

Rotherham had a let-off on 66 minutes when Harry Wilson lifted the ball over the bar from a good position.

However, there was no such fortune as the clock ticked down and Joe Bennet headed in at the back post from Josh Murphy's right-wing cross.

Vaulks appeared to have handled the ball in his own area in time added on but Eltringham thought otherwise, then Wing missed his chance of glory as Warne's men went down to only their second loss in seven matches.

Goals: Ojo 42, Bennett 85 (Cardiff); Crooks 61 (Rotherham).

Rotherham (3-5-1-1): Viktor Johansson; Michael Ihiekwe, Richard Wood (George Hirst 87), Clark Robertson; Matt Olosunde (Ryan Giles 71), Dan Barlaser (Freddie Ladapo 81), Lewis Wing, Ben Wiles, Wes Harding; Matt Crooks; Michael Smith. Subs not used: Josh Vickers, Angus MacDonald, Trevor Clarke, Shaun MacDonald, Florian Jozefzoon, Kieran Sadlier.

Cardiff (3-4-1-2): Dillon Phillips; Michael Morrison, Aden Flint, Joe Bennet; Perry Ng, Will Vaulks, Joe Ralls (Marlon Pack 63), Curtis Nelson; Harry Wilson; Kieffer Moore, Sheyi Ojo (Josh Murphy 53). Subs not used: George Ratcliffe, Max Watters, Tom Sang, Mark Harris, Ciaron Brown, Joel Bagan, Junior Hoilett.

Referee: Geoff Eltringham (Tyne and Wear).