"We deserved to lose' ... Paul Warne reacts to defeat as Rotherham United miss the chance to climb out of the Championship drop zone

Jamie Lindsay in action against Coventry. Picture by Kerrie Beddows

The third-bottom Millers were defeated 1-0 as they played for the second time in three days and need to use their two games in hand to help claw back a four-point deficit on the team just above them, Derby County.

The Championship contest was settled by a 70th-minute by Leo Otigard but Coventry would have won by a greater margin had home goalkeeper Viktor Johansson not been in inspired form.

Rotherham would have leapfrogged the Sky Blues and climbed out of the bottom three with a victory of their own.

Warne said: “I think we got what we deserved. Coventry were significantly better than us on the night.

“They started the game on the front foot and outfought us, which I don't like to say. Viktor kept us in the game.

“We looked a bit jaded. I can have no complaints on the scoreline. We will try to pick up the lads and go again Sunday (Birmingham City) but this was a blow.

“We have to play all these games (four in nine days). It's just unfortunate for us with the order they go in. I would have loved to have played this game with more rest.

“We didn't have much of a threat. Collectively, we just weren't great. We didn't create anything and that's disappointing.

“The lads know they're in a real scrap and hopefully their character will shine through.”

Coventry boss Mark Robins believes his side put in their best away display of the season to bag the vital three points and extend the margim between themselves and the Millers to six points and go above Derby, Huddersfield Town and Birmingham.

The winner came 20 minutes from time with Ostigard rising highest to head in from Matty James's free-kick.

Robins said: “It is really encouraging. To stand up against the physical threat Rotherham have and keep them to very little in terms of opportunities in front of your goal is different class.

“It was a great start to the game. Their keeper has made three worldies. It gives us a boost. It's huge and it gives us confidence. The level of performance was up there."