Derby defeat leaves boss stinging in the rain ... Doncaster Rovers 1 Rotherham United 0

The old warrior and the new signing.

The former centre-back who's now part of the coaching set-up was departing some wisdom to a young loanee taking the early steps in his senior career and making his Rotherham United debut as a late substitute.

There was also something old and new about the derby clash between a Millers team in transition and a Doncaster Rovers side who're well down the road to realising their potential in their third season under Grant McCann.

The old Rovers lost 6-0 and 5-0 on their own turf to their South Yorkshire rivals the last time the clubs did battle, in the 2021/22 season. The new Millers can't yet match the standards they set in that League One promotion campaign back then.

Times have changed. Now, Doncaster, sitting in a third-tier play-off spot, are what 19th-placed Rotherham are seeking to become.

Rovers, with the confidence and assurance that regular wins bring, were the victors at the Eco-Power Stadium by a solitary goal. The visitors had just as much pressure, more goal attempts, but lacked the home side's trust, cohesion and belief.

“We're not good enough at the moment,” said Millers manager Matt Hamshaw who was a key member of Rotherham's backroom staff in that year of Doncaster humiliation.

The club's crowded treatment room, which has two new additions, was put to him as a partial reason. “No excuse,” he said. “I expect my team to win that game of football.

“We started off really well and then in the second half they couldn't get out of their half. But we lost 1-0.

“I feel for the fans in the away end, I wanted to really give them something to cheer about. It's all right saying there are signs of improvement and bits of positives. We're not in for that, we're in it to win games.”

He'd entered the media suite after Saturday's lunch-time kick-off with lips drawn tight and eyes smouldering with more frustration than at any other time in his five-month reign.

“I'm gutted we lost,” he said. “I can come in here and say we were the better team for a large percentage of that game – I thought we just had a bad 20 minutes before half-time – but it stings that one.”

He didn't have to say it, it was written all over his face.

For more than 20 minutes, Rotherham were the better side. They won first and second balls and the right-flank combination of Denzel Hall and Martin Sherif twice opened up Rovers' defence, forcing goalkeeper Thimothee Lo-Tutala into saves from Sherif and Shaun McWilliams.

“No-one's done that to us this season,” said a concerned Doncaster presence in the press box.

But then James Maxwell delivered from the left, the quality of the cross was matched by the run and spring-heeled header of Owen Bailey at the back post and the Millers hardly saw the ball again until after the break.

Rovers hit the bar through Glenn Middleton's curler in the first half and, in the second, rattled a post when Tom Nixon took aim when Cameron Dawson punched rather than caught a cross.

However, Hamshaw's men spent long spells after the interval in opposition territory and needed more than a sweet Ar'Jany volley well kept out by the diving Lo-Tuta to show for their efforts.

“We need to take our chances,” Hamshaw said. “We got into loads of areas and didn't hit the target or mishit a cross or hit the first man or had a shot blocked.

“At the other end, you can't let Owen Bailey – who we'd spoken about all week – run 20 yards with nobody near. That is an infuriating thing for me. The players acknowledged it afterwards. It doesn't matter. We've lost.

“I think our game-plan was right. When we did the things that we'd worked on all week, it worked and we were having good 20/25-minute periods.

“The players went off the cuff. I don't know if they thought it was a bit too easy in the first 20/25 minutes. I've seen it before where players get carried away a little bit and start doing things they wouldn't normally do.”

The defeat came four days after a Carabao Cup exit at Barnsley.

“"We've had two South Yorkshire derbies and lost them both,” Hamshaw said. “I'm a Rotherham lad so it hurts me.”

His young, developing squad were without Lenny Agbaire, Sean Raggett, Kian Spence, Josh Benson, Sam Nombe and Josh Kayode and lost Sherif at the break.

Rovers wasted good sights of goal in the closing stages before Jordan Hugill and Damola Ajayi traded off-target shots in stoppage time.

“Doncaster had chances at the end; of course they did, because we're sending everybody forward and leaving ourselves light at the back,” Hamshaw said. “If we'd been 1-0 up, it would have been the other way around.”

Oh for a Woody figure on the pitch right now.

Hamshaw was heading straight off, phone in hand, after his press conference to continue his pursuit of another central defender before the close of the transfer window.

“I think that we need a commanding centre-half with a bit of experience,” he said.

The day had started sunny, given way to clouds and ended up miserable in a meteorological reflection of the Millers' afternoon.

The heavens began to open as the three Eco-Power car-parks emptied, then the deluge turned much heavier later on.

Seven players injured, Raggett now out for a long period again, Sherif – upon whom so much rests until Nombe's return – the latest concern.

When it rains, it pours.