Player ratings and match stats from Rotherham United 0 Wigan Athletic 1

Millers (4-2-1-3)

Dillon Phillips: 8

A strong performance. Made important saves and kicked and handled well.

Joe Rafferty: 7

Assured in possession and delivered some telling crosses, including the one that set up Andre Green's big chance.

Hakeem Odoffin: 6

Steady and reliable at the back.

Jamie McCart: 5

His first start for a while and he wasn't as commanding as he can be.

Reece James: 5

Neat on the ball but beaten too easily on the outside for Wigan's goal.

Liam Kelly: 5

Little influence. Kept possession but played too safe.

Joe Powell: 6

Some good, some bad. At times, he made inroads going forward; at others, he gave the ball away cheaply.

Andre Green: 4

It might have been a different game had he scored with that header in the first half when the Millers were on top and the score was still 0-0. It was a bad miss. Generally, he saw little of the ball and didn't threaten.

Sam Nombe: 4

Not enough from him on the left flank.

Jonson Clarke-Harris: 4

There were a couple of good first-half touches but, other than that, he was never in the game.

Mallik Wilks: 5

One run, when he beat three opponents and got away a shot, was too good for League One. However, the rest of his display wasn't.

The subs

Cameron Humphreys (for McCart 67): 6

Looked like the cool, unruffled Cam we all know in his first action for a month.

Joe Hungbo (for Green 67): 6

Made an impact. Tried to make things happen and sometimes did.

Jordan Hugill (for Clarke-Harris 67): 4

Copped for some stick from the North Stand who thought he should have tried to make more of a Rafferty cross.

Cohen Bramall (for Nombe 71): NA

Like Humphreys, recalled to the squad after a period of exile. Made good ground a couple of times but his crosses found Wigan bodies.

Shaun McWilliams (for Kelly 71): NA

Struggled to have an influence.

Not used: Cameron Dawson, Alex MacDonald.

Wigan (4-1-4-1): Sam Tickle 6; Toby Sibbick 7, Jason Kerr 7, Will Aimson 7, Steven Sessegnon 6; Matt Smith 6 (Scott Smith 32, 6); Jonny Smith 8 (Michael Olakigbe 65, 6), Babajide Adeeko 7, Thelo Aasgaard 7 (Jensen Weir 65, 6), Silko Thomas 7 (James Carragher 86), Dale Taylor 6 (Joe Hugill 86). Subs not used: Tom Watson, Callum McManaman.

Goals: Adeeko 45+2 (Wigan)

Referee: Martin Coy (Durham)

Attendance: 9,509 (883)

Opposition view

“It’s a big win for us again. We’re in pretty good form and we’re doing okay at the moment.

“Everyone contributed. I still think there is more in us. We could have hurt Rotherham more in the first half. We certainly did in the first 25 minutes in the second.

“I remember the Boxing Day tradition as a player and it’s brilliant. We travel in really good numbers, and the support we get is amazing.

“I am delighted that we gave our supporters a Boxing Day win. The players deserved every bit of applause they got from the fans.”

– Wigan boss Shaun Maloney

The stats

Possession: Millers 49 per cent, Wigan 51

Goal attempts: Millers 9, Wigan 15

On target: Millers 3, Wigan 5

Touches in opposition box: Millers 18, Wigan 14

Corners: Millers 4, Wigan 5

Fouls: Millers 9, Wigan 11

Final word

Alarm bells starting to ring. Rotherham need a result at home to Stockport County on Sunday.