On-the-whistle report: Rotherham United  0 Watford 1

Committed and energetic, they caused some uncomfortable moments for the out-of-form visitors only for a piece of quality finishing from Yaser Asprilla just before the hour mark to sentence them to another defeat.

Rotherham’s 19th defeat of the season leaves them still 14 points adrift of safety at the foot of the Championship.

Andy Rinomhota, the new loan signing from Cardiff City, was handed a full debut in place of Sam Clucas in midfield while Sean Morrison returned in the back line for Lee Peltier and also took the captain’s armband.

Shane Ferguson was in the squad for the first time this season after hernia and groin issues.

Watford had come into the game on a run of four straight defeats and there was a lethargy to them early on.

On the front foot and with Ollie Rathbone and Peter Kioso linking up well, the Millers looked the more likely.

Kioso’s pull-back saw Hakeem Odoffin side-foot just wide of the upright before Rinomhota’s first-time volley had goalkeeper Ben Hamer scrambling.

Odoffin’s alertness in defence was twice illustrated with two potentially goal-saving challenges on Ken Sema and Mileta Rajovic as the Hornets worked their way into the game.

In between times Mattie Pollock saw a header drop just wide but the Millers were showing no sign of a hangover from Tuesday’s loss to Hull City and were mixing their play up nicely, making inroads with some nice interchanges

Manager Leam Richardson will have been happy with his team’s first-half efforts and he must have had plenty to say during the interval because the hosts took time to emerge for the second half.

Attacking the kop, Rotherham had penalty appeals waved away when Rinomohota went down in the box straight after the restart, rousing the home suppporters.

However they were silenced on 58 minutes when Watford broke the deadlock.

A corner was only half cleared and Asprilla met the loose ball with a rasping finish from the edge of the box past the powerless Viktor Johansson.

Richardson rang the changes, throwing on Tom Eaves, Jordan Hugill and Clucas to try and spark a response.

Rotherham kept coming and had chances. Seb Revan’s daisy cutter shaved the far post and Morrison planted a free header down into the ground and a over the bar.

Ferguson saw some deserved action late on as Rotherham pressed. Morrison’s long throws continue to ask questions of the Watford defence and Rinomhota saw a goal bound effort kept out by an outstretched before the final whistle blew to signal a somewhat unlucky loss.

The Millers, so near yet so far, yet again.

Rotherham (5-3-2): Viktor Johansson; Peter Kioso (Shane Ferguson 78), Cameron Humphreys (Cafu 79), Sean Morrison, Hakeem Odoffin, Seb Revan; Christ Tiehi (Sam Clucas 68), Ollie Rathbone, Andy Rinhomota; Charlie Wyke (Jordan Hugill 68), Sam Nombe (Tom Eaves 68)

Watford: (4-1-4-1): Ben Hamer; Tom Dele-Bashiru, Jamal Lewis, Wesley Hoedt, Mattie Pollock; Francisco Sierallta; Ken Sema, Edo Kayembe, Ismael Kone, Yaser Asprilla; Mileta Rajovic. Subs: Daniel Bachmann, Tom Ince, Jake Livermore, Giorgi Chakvetadze, Emmanuel Dennis, Matheus Martins, James Morris, Ryan Andrews, Jack Grieves

Goals: Asprilla 58 (Watford)

Referee: Andrew Kitchen (Durham)

Attendance: 10,143 (1,571 away)