Beaten boss Steve Evans on his search for answers following another Rotherham United setback

The Millers have opened their Christmas programme with two successive losses to sit 18th in the table and today's 1-0 defeat at AESSEAL New York Stadium against Wigan Athletic was accompanied by vociferous booing from home fans.

The manager pledged a play-off push during a summer of 14 signings and needs to find a way to get more from his team, starting with the visit of Stockport County on Sunday.

He felt that this afternoon's Boxing Day encounter turned on the timing of the Latics' goal which arrived on the stroke of half-time.

"The boys were talking at half-time about not conceding a second as opposed to saying 'Let's go and win the game'," he said. "Thinking about not conceding and hitting a team on the counter-attack ... that can't be our style."

Rotherham fashioned a couple of opportunities soon after the interval but then dropped off and Wigan, who had begun the day only a point abive the Millers, were markedly the better side.

"We made some chances but the game was very expanded - it's a big pitch," Evans said. "You keep your levels of energy better when you're in front.

"Some of the Wigan players at the end were lying on their backs. That's because they've gone to the wire because they had a lead to protect. "I'm not going to complain that things didn't fall for us in the box because you have to make your own luck.

"I've never had as bad a run as this in my career. I'm searching inside for answers. We'll go home, reflect, hurt and try to get ready for Stockport." Evans' men should have taken the lead in the 27th minute but Andre Green headed over an empty net as he met Joe Rafferty's cross.

"If we score then, the confidence grows and players want the ball," the boss said. "When it doesn't go in ... you can hear the disappointment in the stadium when the chance is shown on the big screen.

"It's a huge chance. Their keeper's gone for a walk. Andre is a top professional and knows it's a big miss."

Meanwhile, Wigan manager Shaun Maloney was delighted with the resilience his team showed after Babijide Adeeko had scored his first-ever career goal.

"I knew towards the end that if we were winning that we would have to defend the longer pass into our box and we did that," he said.