Paul Mullin deadly from the spot ... on-the-whistle report: Northampton Town 0 Rotherham United 1
It was the Millers’ seventh league fixture of the season
He never looked like missing.
Paul Mullin stepped up in the second half to convert the penalty that earned Rotherham United their second victory of the season this afternoon and lifted them to 14th in the League Two table.
It was the hitman's second spot-kick in two games and extended the Millers' long winning sequence over Northampton Town.
Rotherham, who earned their first clean sheet of the campaign, have now triumphed in their last eight outings against the Cobblers.
The visitors were worthy of their three-point haul for the way they kept out Town in the first half while creating the best chances themselves and then bossing much of the proceedings after the break.
However, it took a fine stoppage-time save from Julian Eyestone on Harvey Saunders to protect their advantage.
Things are starting to build under new head coach Alex Bruce.
The first chance of the encounter fell to the Millers who came close to taking a ninth-minute lead.
Fabio Tavares' curling effort from the left was heading into the far corner, but home goalkeeper Zach Jeacock dived full stretch to turn the ball away for a corner and deny the visitors an early lead.
At the other end, Ossama Ashley put in a terrific block to foil Nathan Opoku as the Town striker pulled the trigger.
Clear sights of goal were few and far between and it was the 27th minute before visiting keeper Eyestone was called into action, holding on to Max Dyche's header from a free-kick.
Millers fans more than 700 in number filled the away end at Sixfields Stadium and were making far more noise than the Northampton supporters.
Another sliding block from Ashley frustrated the lively Opuku once more as Northampton did most of the attacking. Rotherham weren't offering a great deal going forward, but they were resolute in their defending.
With the interval approaching, the Millers again came close to a breakthrough as Josh Austerfield did well to cling on to possession in the penalty area only to be thwarted by Jeacock's point-blank stop.
Bruce was watching from the Main Stand as he served a one-match touchline ban for a dugout flare-up with Bristol Rovers assistant manager Paul Raynor at the Memorial Ground a fortnight ago.
Rotherham had handed an immediate debut to Dominic Iorfa, four days after the centre-half's arrival as a free agent while midfield man Kian Spence, fit again following a two-game absence with a calf issue, was on the bench.
The new boy lasted for an hour before being replaced by Jili Buyabu as Denzel Hall slipped into the back three.
In the Northampton squad was veteran midfielder Sam Hoskins who had a brief loan spell with the Millers back in 2012.
The second half was only a few seconds old when Mullin went for goal. His shot lacked power but was spilled by Jeacock before the ball was cleared for a corner that came to nothing.
Playing towards their own followers, the Millers were the better side after the interval and took the lead in the 72nd minute.
Mullin was felled just inside the area as he forced himself the wrong side of his marker and he picked himself to despatch the penalty into the roof of the net.
Soon afterwards, Austerfield could have virtually killed the contest when he was clean through, but he fired into the side-netting.
Buyabu had an effort deflected and Spence, on the follow-up, shot just wide as Bruce's men remained in the ascendancy.
Eyestone saved them late on, by which time Mullin was no longer on the pitch.
The penalty hero had departed soon after his emphatic strike to a standing ovation.
Northampton (4-2-3-1): Zach Jeacock; Max Dyche (Matty Warhurst 81), Jon Guthrie, Elliott Moore, Josh Powell; Tyrese Fornah (Sam Hoskins 87), Jake O'Brien-Whitmarsh; Joe Wormleighton, Owen Dale (Logan Briggs 81), Sam Chambers (Harvey Saunders 67); Nathan Opoku (Connor Evans 87). Subs not used: Kamarai Sawyer, Ross Fitzsimons.
Rotherham (3-5-2): Julian Eyestone; Dominic Iorfa (Jili Buyabu 60), Sonny Aljofree, Ewan Otoo; Denzel Hall, Josh Austerfield, Ossama Ashley (Kian Spence 67), Brandon Cover, Aaron Nemane (Emmanuel Adegboyega 79); Paul Mullin (Kieran Ngwenya 79), Fabio Tavares (Tom Bradshaw 67). Subs not used: Ted Cann, Jayce Fitzgerald.
Goals: Mullin pen 72 (Rotherham)
Referee: Will Finnie (Bedfordshire)
Attendance: 5,771 (716)