Men in black, contrasting scenes and more points get away ... the story of Rotherham United 2 Burton Albion 2

Standing in a stern-faced huddle in one half of the pitch at the end of the game were four of Rotherham United's main men, dressed in funereal black to match their moods.

In the other half, a party was going on.

Millers manager Steve Evans, number two Paul Raynor and coaches Gary Mills and Ian Pledger bore the looks of men whose side could have won, should have won and hadn't.

Meanwhile, Burton Albion's players were enjoying an unabandoned celebration with their gaggle of travelling fans. They could have lost, should have lost and hadn't.

The same League One draw for both teams at AESSEAL New York Stadium yet very contrasting responses.

Tipped to contend for promotion this season, Rotherham have shown signs that the higher reaches of the table aren't beyond them.

However, chances not being taken has become an early theme of their campaign and that's why they find themselves frustratingly in 17th spot despite going three matches without a defeat. Victory would have been worth eight more places.

A newly-assembled side fizz and flash at times and founder at others as they seek to become the finished product.

Evans hardly ever misses media duties but sent Paul Raynor in his place on this occasion. “Disjointed,” said the assistant boss as he reflected on Saturday's events.

Then he voiced what we were all thinking: “Today – at home – is two points dropped.”

THE MATCH

Rotherham had just taken a 57th-minute lead and New York came to life as the home side stayed on the attack.

A 2-1 advantage seemed, for all the world, like it would become 3-1. Sam Nombe was thwarted, the same player was foiled again, but surely it was only a matter of time.

Yet, bit by bit, the Millers slid away.

“That was a crucial period of the match,” Raynor said. “We were looking to get the third goal and have a comfortable latter part of the game. We got sloppy and lost control.

“It became a bit like basketball after that. Burton have good attacking players and punished us. Their second goal is very disappointing.”

In the first half, Rotherham had twice threatened to open the scoring in the first half through Jonson Clarke-Harris before Burton went in front when Danilo Orsi took advantage of a Cameron Humphreys' block falling kindly for him by beating Dillon Phillips with a well-placed strike.

Clarke-Harris wasn't to be denied, though, and bustled his way in front of Jack Armer to convert Joe Powell's cross for his first goal in open play since his summer arrival.

Humphreys had played his part in the equaliser with a pinpoint pass out of defence and, after the break, he went one better, firing the ball into the roof of the net from a Powell corner for a first-ever career goal.

“Good for Cam for being in the right place at the right time,” Raynor said. “Let's hope he can add a few more along the way.”

Nombe had missed badly just before the interval when he lifted the ball too high from close range and now a last-ditch block and a Max Crocombe save added to his frustration.

Suddenly, at the other end, Jack Cooper-Love was making his way, completely unchecked, right across the edge of the penalty area and finding the bottom corner. Neither Cooper or Love or even the hyphen could believe there'd been no challenge.

“The ball pops out to the corner of the box and we just don't get the block in,” Raynor said. “You saw their defenders putting their bodies on the line - winning headers and getting blocks in - every time we got in their box.

“We let them back into it. I think we got a little bit twitchy at the back. We're a side who want to play with an aggressive press and that brought us a lot of joy.

“Occasionally, Burton did break through that, but they were always going to – they're a good side, competent on the ball and counter-attack very well.

“We allowed the gaps to appear too much and we weren't pressing with any sort of cohesion. It became a case of individuals pressing rather than us doing it as a unit.”

In the final few seconds, Mallik Wilks went clear and the hero of the win over Huddersfield Town looked like being the last-gasp saviour again only for the attacker to take on his shot too early and miss the target.

“As he pulls the trigger, you're thinking: ‘Is he going to bury that in the top corner?’ That would have been fantastic,” Raynor said.

“It was symptomatic of our decision-making. I think if Mallik drives into the box and gets one v one with the defender he might have been able to slide in Jonno or he ends up opening up the goal for what he did against Huddersfield.

“It was another bad decision when we got into the final third. We got into the final third lots of times, it was just that final ball. We needed a little bit more quality in our crossing, passing and timing of our runs.”

SAM'S BLANK

Practice didn't make perfect.

Nombe turned in arguably his best display in a Millers shirt, twisting and tormenting the Burton defence with his energy and appetite, but he has yet to open his league account this term.

“You know what you're going to get with Sam,” Raynor said. “He works incredibly hard, he runs the channels, he stretches the game, he creates a lot of space for Mallik in that ‘10’ position by dragging centre-halves out.

“He might just need something to ricochet off him into the net to get him going. You wouldn't believe the amount of finishing sessions we've done this week. It's been a daily thing.”

With a goal, it would have been a 9/10 performance from the striker.

Without a goal, we ended up with that tale of two teams on the final whistle.

It was a draw that felt like a victory for the visitors, a draw that felt like a defeat for the side in red and white.

Rotherham (4-3-1-2): Dillon Phillips; Joe Rafferty, Cameron Humphreys, Jamie McCart, Reece James; Hakeem Odoffin, Christ Tiehi (Alex MacDonald 69), Joe Powell (Joe Hungbo 88); Mallik Wilks, Jonson Clarke-Harris, Sam Nombe (Jordan Hugill 72). Subs not used: Cameron Dawson, Sean Raggett, Cohen Bramall, Esapa Osong.

Burton (3-5-1-1): Max Crocombe; Terence Vancooten (Nick Akoto 58), Ryan Sweeney, Jack Armer; Udoka Gowin-Malife, Cegs Chauke (Ciaran Gilligan 90), Elliot Watt, Ben Whitfield (Romelle Donovan 80), Dylan Williams; Jack Cooper-Love (Rumarn Burrell 90); Danilo Orsi (Tomas Calinauskas 80). Subs not used: Harry Isted, Jason Sraha.

Goals: Clarke-Harris 39 Humphreys 57; Orsi 25, Cooper-Love 71 (Burton).

Referee: Ben Speedie (Merseyside).

Attendance: 8,704 (447).