A praise and a grumble from Steve Evans as Rotherham United end year with a point

The boss described the visitors as the best team the Millers have played this season other than leaders Birmingham City following events at AESSEAL New York Stadium.

The home side largely thwarted an away frontline containing the division's top scorer in Louie Barry but created little themselves going forward other than Hakeem Odoffin's 19th-minute equaliser following Barry's 13th-minute early opener.

“I think Stockport started better than us and for 15 minutes they gave us some problems,” Evans said. “It was a great finish for their goal.

“We looked for a reaction and scored from the second phase of a set-piece and then we are the better team up to half-time.”

The Millers had to withstand second-half pressure before a late burst during which Jonson Clarke-Harris had a penalty appeal turned down.

“If there is any disappointment it is that we did not create in the final third," Evans said. “Our quality did not come out of the bag to get chances on goal.

“Credit to my back five, I think they stood up and did their job. Our centre-halves (Hakeem Odoffin and Zak Jules) were outstanding.”

Today's draw in the final match of 2024 ended a run of two successive losses and left Rotherham in 18th place.

“We have gone toe to toe with a team who will be up there at the end of the season," Evans said. "We have got to use that as a stepping stone.”

Stockport took the lead through Barry's exquisite shot from outside the area and the Millers levelled through Odoffin's header after Liam Kelly's mishit volley had bounced kindly for him.

County boss Dave Challinor said: “I am disappointed with the result. We had the quality but not the care to make the pass at the right time or the speed for it to result in scoring opportunities.

“Our quality from wide areas was really poor and that is something that has to improve if we are going to convert good performances into the points that those performances deserve.”