Back in the drop zone ... on-the-whistle report: Bolton Wanderers 2 Rotherham United 1

The Millers appeared to have rescued a point from the clutches of defeat when they bagged a 90th-minute equaliser through Sam Nombe's penalty.

But they conceded again in the third minute of added time to suffer a fourth straight defeat and drop back into the League One relegation zone that they last occupied at the start of October.

A nine-match unbeaten run had lifted them close to play-off contention but now, following their quartet of losses, they are in trouble again.

Wanderers' opening goal was a controversial one as furious appeals from Rotherham for it to be disallowed went unheeded.

The visitors started well and Joe Powell wasn't far away with a volley that went just over the bar in the fourth minute.

The next sight of goal fell to Kion Etete who was wayward with an attempt from distance before Dan Gore made a 50-yard dash through the heart of the home defence only to fluff his lines as he reached the penalty area.

Ar'Jany Martha then volleyed too high when he latched on to a cross from Reece James.

Fifteen minutes and nearly all of the game's best moments had been created by Matt Hamshaw's men.

Bolton were on a long unbeaten run on their own soil, having last tasted defeat at the Toughsheet Community Stadium 18 matches ago - last April against the Millers, only days after Hamshaw had taken the hot-seat.

Rotherham goalkeeper Cameron Dawson was called into action for the first time, making an easy save from Josh Sheehan's free-kick.

James, wearing a mask to protect his fractured cheekbone, was proving to be a threat down the left and the leaping Etete came within an inch of connecting with one of several sweet crosses.

The Millers were indebted to Dawson and young centre-half Hamish Douglas on the half-hour mark as Bolton began to come alive.

The former stood firm against the clean-through Amario Cozier-Duberry and the latter headed Joel Randall's follow-up off the line.

Dawson then denied Thierry Gale and Cozier-Duberry while, between those saves, James brought a sharp stop from Teddy Sharman-Lowe with a well-struck effort from a tight angle at the other end.

Rotherham were being cheered on in the cold by a near-1,000 strong travelling contingent hoping to see their side arrest their recent slide.

They applauded appreciatively as Dawson made the save of the contest so far, thwarting Randall at his near post, and their volume rose even further when the keeper then did even better to keep out Gale's deflected shot.

The keeper had been in fine form but couldn't do anything to prevent the Millers falling behind right at the end of the first half.

Josh Sheehan steered the ball over the line and there were huge Rotherham protests - led by Dawson who claimed there’d been an offside - before referee Elliot Bell awarded the goal following a long consultation with one of his assistants.

Hamshaw had reacted to the home loss at the hands of Huddersfield Town six days earlier by making a number of changes.

Douglas, James, Etete, Zak Jules and Dru Yearwood all came into the starting 11, with Joe Rafferty, Thomas Holmes, Liam Kelly, Marvin Kaleta and Jordan Hugill making way.

Kaleta didn't even make the squad, which suggested that the wing-back had picked up an injury.

Nombe - a late scorer against Huddersfield - began proceedings on the bench for the second successive game as the Millers took no risks with their star striker following a quad issue.

Etete was playing up front against the club where he had a disappointing loan spell last term.

After the break, Powell went for goal from around the halfway line with an attempt that lacked power, direction and any hope of finding the net.

Hamshaw acted early with his attacking substitutions, bringing on Nombe and Hugill at the same time and emptying his bench of frontline threat.

Nombe should have done better than poke Powell's low cross wide before James had time and space to pick his spot, following Martha's set-up, and picked the keeper's arms.

Douglas cleared off the line for the second time, denying Max Conway amid shouts for handball, and the Millers were relieved to see Randall miss the target from close range soon afterwards.

Hugill thought he’d scored an 85th-minute equaliser but the diving Sharman-Lowe plucked his goalbound header out of the air.

The keeper then pushed a speculative James effort over the bar.

Nombe struck from the spot, but Bolton were quickly ahead again, through Sheehan, when Thomas Holmes made an error, and two last-gasp Rotherham chances went begging.

Bolton climbed to fourth spot and the Millers slid to 21st during a Christmas programme that has yet to offer anything merry.

Bolton (4-2-3-1): Teddy Sharman-Lowe; Cyrus Christie, Eoin Toal, George Johnston, Max Conway; Josh Sheehan, Ethan Erhahon (Xavier Simons 82); Amario Cozier-Duberry, Joel Randall (Kyle Dempsey 82), Thierry Gale (Mason Burstow 86); Marcus Forss (Sam Dalby 71). Subs not used: Tyler Miller, Chris Forino, Ibrahim Cissoko.

Rotherham (3-4-3): Cameron Dawson; Jamal Baptiste, Hamish Douglas (Thomas Holmes 82), Zak Jules; Denzel Hall, Dru Yearwood (Jordan Hugill 53), Dan Gore, Reece James; Ar'Jany Martha, Kion Etete (Sam Nombe 53), Joe Powell. Subs not used: Ted Cann, Joe Rafferty, Sean Raggett, Liam Kelly.

Goals: Sheehan 45+1, 90+3 (Bolton); Nombe pen 90 (Rotherham)

Referee: Elliot Bell (Merseyside)