Millers hang on for first-day triumph ... on-the-whistle report: Rotherham United 2 Port Vale 1

They were far too good for newly-promoted Port Vale in the first half and their slick, committed dominance saw them sweep into a two-goal lead.

But they took their feet off the gas after the interval and were given a big scare by the visitors who played most of the League One contest with ten men and smacked the woodwork in time added on.

Rotherham lost a player themselves to a dismissal when Zak Jules was given a second booking in the 77th minute for hauling back an opponent when the home side were hanging on to their lead.

Manager Matt Hamshaw will welcome the three points but will be fuming over the manner in which his men let their standards slip following the interval. They made a fast start and had two efforts on goal in the opening two minutes.

Only 52 seconds were on the clock when Liam Kelly shot wide from just outside the penalty area and on 95 seconds Joe Powell whistled a low drive inches off target from similar range.

The away end was sold out and there was a rousing atmosphere inside New York in the opening stages.

There were even louder scenes in the ninth minute in support of former player and manager Ronnie Moore who used to wear the number 9 with such distinction and has recently revealed he is now undergoing a battle against cancer.

The great man, his wife and daughter were there to witness all four sides of the ground rising and applauding while present boss Hamshaw was among those clapping.

Soon afterwards, the Millers went ahead as last season's top scorer, Sam Nombe, made the most of a superb Joe Rafferty cross to open his account for this term.

The visitors had their first attempt on goal in the 20th minute when Mitch Clarke wasn't far away with a fiercely-struck 20-yarder and, at the other end, Kelly's volley ended up nearer the corner flag than the net.

Rotherham were well on top and deservedly went further ahead just before the half-hour mark. Nombe was on hand to head home from close range after Denzel Hall's header had been parried by goalkeeper Marko Marosi.

Things were looking even brighter for Hamshaw's men when Jaheim Headley received a straight red card for a reckless lunge on dangerman Nombe and the Millers came close to capitalising when they swept forward with the move of the match so far.

Reece James took possession in his own half and his clever pass down the line found the scampering Dan Gore whose slide-rule ball left Jordan Hugill with only Marosi to beat.

Sadly, the striker, playing against the club with whom he began his career, took too long to get his shot away and a glaring opportunity was gone.

The half ended with Cameron Dawson making an easy save from Ben Waine's header.

Hamshaw had handed debuts to two new boys, Lenny Agbaire and Hall, and there were six other summer signings on the seven-man bench. Among them were striker Kion Etete, whose loan deal was confirmed only the day before the game, and former Ajax player Ar'Jany Martha.

Old boy Cameron Humphreys made an instant return to New York, starting in Vale's backline in his first outing since turning down a new Millers deal.

Hall had shown up well and his first action of the second half saw him sending a powerful shot the wrong side of the woodwork.

Despite their numerical advantage, Rotherham were forced to combat a spell of Vale pressure at the start of the second half and it required a sharp Dawson stop to prevent Lorent Tolaj reducing the deficit.

They'd lost their urgency and paid the price when Connor Hall was on hand at the back post to convert Clark's low cross.

Hamshaw responded by making three substitutions – as Vale had done at the break – and handing further debuts to Josh Benson, Dru Yearwood and Marvin Kaleta.

The Millers' tempo was too low and their manager was gesticulating madly in his technical area for them to up the pace of their play.

Jules walked early and they continued to live dangerously as the clock ticked down.

Martha and Etete added to the number of debutants in a tense final period in which Tolaj hit the post.

A win, then. But it should have been so much more comfortable.

Rotherham (3-1-4-2): Cameron Dawson; Joe Rafferty, Lenny Agbaire, Zak Jules; Liam Kelly (Dru Yearwood 68); Denzel Hall (Marvin Kaleta 68), Dan Gore (Josh Benson 68), Joe Powell, Reece James; Sam Nombe (Ar'Jany Martha 80), Jordan Hugill (Kion Etete 80). Subs not used: Ted Cann, Shaun McWilliams.

Port Vale (3-4-3): Marko Marosi; Jesse Debrah, Cameron Humphreys, Connor Hall; Mitch Clark (Ben Heneghan 90+5), George Byers, Jordan Shipley (Funso Ojo H-T), Jaheim Headley; Lorent Tolaj, Jayden Stockley (Ronan Curtis H-T), Ben Waine (Ryan Croasdale H-T). Subs not used: Arron Davies, Rico Richards, Kyle John.

Goals: Nombe 13, 29 (Rotherham); Hall 60 (Port Vale)

Referee: Jacob Miles (Sussex)

Attendance: 9,883 (2,052)