Depleted Millers impress against high-fliers ... on-the-whistle report: Rotherham United 1 Preston North End 1

Already without a number of senior players, the Millers had to change shape at the interval when centre-half Cameron Humphreys limped out of proceedings.

A spirited second-half showing with a makeshift defence saw them take the point they deserved against Preston North End.

They had led through a Jordan Hugill wonder-strike as they succeeded in putting two limp away performances behind them.

The result saw Matt Taylor's men slip into the bottom three but they can take heart from a much-improved display.

In a competitive opening period both teams were willing to attack but there had been no clear-cut chances at either end as the half-hour mark approached.

Sam Clucas was making a decent contribution on his first home start and Dexter Lembikisa was looking lively down the right flank.

The floodlights came on to add a touch of brightness that the action on the pitch lacked.

On 30 minutes, home goalkeeper Viktor Johansson kept the scores level with a sharp save as Milutin Osmajic looked to head home from close range following Duane Holmes cross.

The match came to life in the 35th minute and it was all down to Hugill who just loves scoring against his former clubs in a Rotherham shirt.

First, he did brilliantly to dispossess an opposing defender on the left wing, then did even better to run in on goal and unleash a stunning 20-yard effort that curled into the far top corner of the net.

Queens Park Rangers, then West Bromwich Albion, then Norwich City, now the Lilywhites ...Soon afterwards Tyler Blackett cleared off the line to keep the Millers' lead intact, but the visitors levelled on the stroke of half-time when Liam Lindsay was able to head in straight from a corner.

Rotherham were without key man Cafu for the third successive match and he was joined on the sidelines by fellow midfielder Hakeem Odoffin who had featured in the midweek defeat at Millwall.

Odoffin's absence took the Millers' missing men to seven and there were two spare places on the home bench.

Record signing Sam Nombe was back among the substitutes after making his first start for his new club in south-east London on Wednesday.

With Humphreys off the pitch, the home team went with an unlikely combination of three at the back in Lembikisa, Blackett and Cohen Bramall and brought on Sebastian Revan as a left wing-back.

The contest remained in the balance, with neither team gaining the upper hand, although Rotherham were indebted to their keeper in the 74th minute.

Johansson saved at full stretch from Ryan Ledson and then spread himself to keep out Osmajic's follow-up.

Blackett turned the ball against his own post while defending a cross as the Millers held on in the dying minutes.

Preston had arrived at New York with six wins and a draw. They were good opposition and depleted Rotherham stood up.

Rotherham (4-3-3): Viktor Johansson; Dexter Lembikisa, Cameron Humphreys (Sebastian Revan H-T), Tyler Blackett, Cohen Bramall; Ollie Rathbone, Christ Tiehi, Sam Clucas (Sam Nombe 73); Andre Green, Jordan Hugill (Georgie Kelly 90+4), Fred Onyedinma. Subs not used: Arvin Appiah, Dillon Phillips, Tom Eaves, Ciaran McGuckin.

Preston (3-4-2-1): Freddie Woodman; Jordan Storey, Liam Lindsay, Andrew Hughes; Brad Potts, Ali McCann (Ben Whiteman 71), Ryan Ledson (Layton Stewart 88), Robbie Brady (Liam Millar 71); Alan Browne, Duane Holmes (Mads Frokjaer 71); Milutin Osmajic. Subs not used: Dai Cornell, Greg Cunningham, Patrick Bauer, Ben Woodburn, Jack Whatmough.

Goals: Hugill 35 (Rotherham); Lindsay 45 (Preston).

Referee: Sam Allison (Wiltshire).

Attendance: 11,434 (2,419).