The anniversary, the injury, the anguish ... the story of Rotherham United 1 Bristol City 2

The match marked a year to the day since Matt Taylor's official unveiling as manager of the Millers.

Rotherham United and Bristol City spent more than 80 minutes cautiously getting to know each other before it all kicked off towards the end.

An 81st-minute Tommy Conway opener for the Robins went down like flat beer, but Taylor's men quickly responded through Tyler Blackett's first goal for the club and pushed for a late winner.

Cruelly, it came at the other end as Conway struck again to condemn Rotherham to an AESSEAL New York Stadium defeat in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

Wednesday's final whistle brought a smattering of boos from home fans and left the 23rd-placed Millers, with one win in ten matches, contemplating their worst start to a Championship campaign since 2004.

Crucially, Blackett had left early, a hamstring injury forcing him from the field two minutes before Conway's last-gasp clincher and leaving his team a man short as all their substitutions had been made.

As deft as the Robins sub's finish was, there's a good chance he wouldn't have been able to make it had Rotherham's centre-half still been on the pitch.

“It a very tough to one to take,” said manager Matt Taylor. He was talking about the match but could just have easily been commenting on the loss of yet another player in a season where the treatment room has been the most crowded corner of Rotherham's Roundwood base.

“There was not much in the game,” he added. “We started brightly and were on top without getting that end bit to get us ahead in the game.”

Not that brightly, really. The Millers were generally the better side but it took until the 68th minute of a drab encounter before either goalkeeper was called into any kind of save.

The main applause in the first half was reserved for the 31st minute and a tribute for former Millers goalkeeper Josh Vickers, once the wearer of the number-31 jersey, following the tragic cancer death of his wife, Laura.

In the second, Conway made his mark for mid-table City within seconds of his introduction, whipping a superb shot into the far corner after sub Grant Hall - playing for the first time since pre-season - misjudged an attempted header.

Rotherham rallied and Blackett fired in a low 86th-minute effort from the edge of the area after Ollie Rathbone's pass down the line had punched a hole in the Robins defence and Arvin Appiah's low cross had opened them up even more.

With 11 players, the Millers looked like they could snatch all three points; a man light, they couldn't hold on for one.

“The second half was very much a stalemate,” Taylor said. “Their first goal was down to one mistake and a bit of rustiness.

“We got back in it and had a very positive moment for ourselves, then we lost an influential centre-half and couldn't quite see out the game.”

Afterwards, the dressing room was quiet, including the manager. "Sometimes less words are important because the players are really hurting with the manner that the game finished," he said.

Yet again, injuries were on his mind.

“The equaliser boosted us and gave us a bit of energy,” he said. “But, similar to what has happened too often in my tenure, and too often for Rotherham United in the Championship, we had a physical blow - and that was a big one in relation to Tyler.

“Then, for one moment, right at the end of the game, we couldn't quite defend the space.”

He wandered around by himself out on the New York turf as, 50 yards away, visiting players took the plaudits of their travelling fans. Their celebration, not his.

At length, he headed back inside, a big job on his hands as he enters year two. Party over, now a lot of clearing up to do.

Rotherham (4-3-3): Viktor Johansson 6; Dexter Lembikisa 6, Lee Peltier 7 (Grant Hall 62, 5), Tyler Blackett 6 (Sebastian Revan 80), Cohen Bramall 6; Ollie Rathbone 7, Christ Tiehi 7, Cafu 6 (Sam Clucas 62, 6); Andre Green 5 (Arvin Appiah 80), Jordan Hugill 6 (Sam Nombe 74), Fred Onyedinma 6. Subs not used: Dillon Phillips, Tom Eaves, Georgie Kelly, Ciaran McGuckin.

Bristol City (4-2-3-1): Max O'Leary 6; Taylor Gardner-Hickman 6, Rob Dickie 7, Kal Naismith 7, Cameron Pring 6; Matty James 7, Joe Williams 5 (Andy King 80); Mark Sykes 5 (Andreas Weimann 66), Jason Knight 5 (Tommy Conway 80), Sam Bell 5 (Haydon Roberts 85); Harry Cornick 5 (Nahki Wells 66, 5). Subs not used: Stefan Bajic, Anis Mehmeti, Ephraim Yeboah. Raekwon Nelson.

Goals: Blackett 86 (Rotherham); Conway 81, 96 (Bristol City).

Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northampton).

Attendance: 9,221 (404).