'Should have won' ... Steve Evans reacts to Rotherham United's away stalemate with high-flying Huddersfield Town

The play-off-contending home side had the better chances in the first half at the John Smith's Stadium but the Millers upped their game after the interval and had opportunities to score.

Evans' men are unbeaten in their last three League One outings and are up to 16th in the table following their second successive clean sheet.

This afternoon's performance against fourth-placed opposition was arguably their best away display of the season so far.

The boss said: “My words to the boys in the dressing room were. ‘I can't ask for any more today but we've left two points behind.’

“We caused Huddersfield real problems and some of the football was really good to watch. We go away disappointed that we haven't won the game.”

Rotherham stuck with the side that had triumphed at Lincoln City on New Year's Day when Town were without a match because their scheduled game at Wigan Athletic was ruled out by bad weather.

The home team were reduced to ten men late on when new signing Ruben Roosken was shown a straight red card only minutes after coming on for his debut for a high challenge on Cameron Humphreys.

Prior to the break, the Millers were indebted to goalkeeper Dillon Phillips who made several key saves. After it, they twice went close to taking the lead through Mallik Wilks.

“Huddersfield looked a bit crisper than us in the first half,” Evans said. “That comes with the freshness of not playing a few days ago.

“We defended really well – there was a great clearance off the line by Shaun McWilliams – and counter-attacked without any real quality.

“We moved two or three of the lads slightly for the second half and things opened up for us. We missed some big chances. Mallik could have had a couple of goals. He worked incredibly hard, as all the players did.

“Even before Huddersfield had a man sent off, we were the better side in the second half.

“We've pressed and pressed trying to get the winner. We've broken forward three v two and four v three but didn't bring that final bit of quality out of the locker.”

The manager was adamant that American referee Alex Chilowicz got the dismissal decision right.

“It was right in front of me,” he said. “It was a clear sending-off.”