Millers denied victory ... on-the-whistle report: Blackpool 0 Rotherham United 0
TWO months after it should have been played, the match between Rotherham United and Blackpool finally took place.
Tonight's encounter on the north-west coast was due to have happened in December but gale-force winds saw the encounter postponed a few hours before kick-off.
Neither team blew particularly hot on the rearranged date but it was the Millers who had the best of the action.
They had chances to win yet headed back over the M62 with a single point in the bag following a goalless draw.
The miss of the match came from Jordan Hugill in the 74th minute when he miscued in front of an open goal following Sam Nombe's quickfire dash down the right.
The result moved Steve Evans' men one place up the League One table to 14th, three spots below their opponents.
A quiet start brought few sights of goal, although Rotherham were indebted to Cameron Humphreys for a 10th-minute block on a Sammy Silvera shot.
At the other end, in the 19th minute, Hugill was thwarted in similar fashion by Odeluga Offiah when Pelly Mpanzu's pass inside created an opening.
The Millers were seeking to extend an impressive record at Bloomfield Road where they had last tasted defeat in 1997.
They hadn't lost any of their 12 games against the Seasiders, home or away, since then.
Silvera whistled an effort wide but opportunities in a scrappy contest between two sides separated by only two points remained at a premium.
Nombe did well to shake off the attentions of Olly Casey on the half-hour mark and goalkeeper Harry Tyrer came to the home side's rescue before holding on to Hakeem Odoffin's header from the ensuing corner.
Blackpool were unbeaten in their last eight outings but six of those games had ended in draws and there was no sustained attacking thrust from either team.
As half-time approached, Rotherham suddenly had a flurry of chances.
Reece James raced down the left flank and crossed for Pelly Mpanzu whose first-time effort forced a stop from Tyrer, then Hugill rose well but couldn't get enough power on his header to trouble the Seasiders keeper.
Two more saves quickly followed, from Liam Kelly's curler and another attempt from Mpanzu.
Midfielder Kelly and striker Hugill had come into the Rotherham side, with Louie Sibley and Andre Green dropping to the bench.
Missing from the squad were centre-half Sean Raggett and young midfield loanee Dan Gore.
Former Millers targets Jake Beesley and Ashley Fletcher started up front for Blackpool while an AESSEAL New York Stadium old boy, keeper Richard O'Donnell, was among the substitutes.
A concerted spell of pressure from the visitors following the restart brought no more than a looping Hugill header, from Joe Powell's cross, that landed on the roof of the net.
Mpanzu had been the game's best player and a stinging drive from 20 yards required a flying intervention from Tyrer on 63 minutes.
Blackpool were next to threaten and Dillon Phillips saved at his near post from James Husband after a quick breakout led by Rob Apter.
Following Hugill's moment of wastefulness, Mpanzu went down in the area only for no penalty to given, and, as the clock began to tick down, Powell’s shot was kept out by Tyrer.
Phillips thwarted Lee Evans in time added on before Powell saw his powerful low effort blocked.
A point it was then. But it wasn’t far from being all three.
Blackpool (4-2-3-1): Harry Tyrer; Odeluga Offiah, Olly Casey (Jordan Gabriel 36), Elkan Baggott, James Husband; Albie Morgan, Sonny Carey; CJ Hamilton (Rob Apter 59), Ashley Fletcher (Niall Ennis 59), Sammy Silvera (Hayden Coulson 90); Jake Beesley (Lee Evans 59). Subs not used: Richard O'Donnell, Ryan Finnigan.
Rotherham (5-3-2): Dillon Phillips; Joe Rafferty, Hakeem Odoffin, Cameron Humphreys, Zak Jules, Reece James; Pelly Mpanzu, Liam Kelly (Louie Sibley 79), Joe Powell; Jordan Hugill (Andre Green 90), Sam Nombe. Subs not used: Cameron Dawson, Harrison Duncan, Dean Gardner, Jack Holmes, Ben Hatton. Referee: Sebastian Stockbridge (Tyne and Wear)
Attendance: 8,216