The songs, the celebrations and the attempt to debag the captain ... the story of Rotherham United's first away win of the season

It wasn't quite that long ago that Rotherham United last triumphed on their travels, it maybe just felt like it.

Depeche Mode were the soundtrack to a memorable afternoon that might turn out to be the date when Matt Hamshaw's reset of the club truly took hold.

The story this season has been, the Millers take the lead on opposition soil, they relinquish their advantage, they finish up losing.

Not on Saturday, not at Northampton Town, not anymore. 0-1 at the break became 2-1 at Saturday's final whistle as Rotherham showed the character that their manager has always believed was lurking under the surface and just needed to come out.

Hamshaw had invoked the spirit of the volunteers who had trekked from Rotherham to Sixfields Stadium since the previous Wednesday to raise money for charity.

“I spoke to the players before the game about the fans doing the 100-mile walk,” he revealed. “I said to them: ‘Look, if those people can do four days of that, you can run around for 100 minutes.’”

His team didn't let him down, and they won't be in the drop zone for much longer if they continue to show resilience like this.

They're unbeaten in three matches, their 100 per league losing streak on the road in 2025/26 has gone, the six-month wait to raise the flag on enemy territory is over.

This was a good victory, a deserved triumph, a result on which the Millers can build.

THE MATCH

He took aim, he let fly and the game was won.

Josh Benson's 87th-minute strike was 25 yards of curling, comeback-capping, free-kick perfection.

It earned the victory that had seemed so far away in the opening period when Rotherham couldn't capitalise on a strong start and then buckled for a spell when Premier League referee Paul Tierney made a Sunday League hash of a penalty verdict.

“Yeah, it is,” said Hamshaw when it was put to him that his improving side had taken another step forward.

“Benno's shot flies in. I fancied him as soon as he got it. He's got unbelievable quality from that distance. I think he showed he's got that bit of guile and craft.

“I can't fault anybody, really. I felt that there were question marks, certainly, surrounding some of the performances in the first half.

“But, second half, everybody stood up, everybody played in a way that showed what it means to play for this club.”

Rotherham were already rueing misses by Shaun McWilliams, Martin Sherif and Denzel Hall when Sam Hoskins fired in the 26th-minute spot-kick for the home side. It wrested the initiative from the visitors and left them glad to reach the interval without further damage.

Then, the contest – and possibly the season as a whole – changed.

Jordan Hugill came on in a switch from 3-4-3 to 3-1-4-2 and looked like the Hugill who used worry Championship defences.

Force replaced frailty and the Millers were on a mission. Benson clipped a shot off target, Sherif went closer with a stab from the edge of the box and there were several moments when only a poor final ball saw mid-table Town survive.

Sam Nombe, back after a two-month injury absence entered the fray with Kian Spence and Rotherham became irresistible.

Within three minutes, Jamal Baptiste clipped a ball forward, Hugill headed it right where Northampton didn't want him to and there was defender Joe Rafferty – with a grand total of one goal to his name in the previous four years – charging in to beat goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimons with a finish of which striker Nombe would have been proud.

Time was running out when Benson magnificently did what only he and a few others in this division are capable of doing, right in front of the travelling horde.

“I felt that we were a better team at 0-0 and then we got that decision against us,” said Hamshaw, back at the scene of his first game in charge last April. “From the sideline, I just saw it in the lads' faces a little bit. We tried to get in at half-time (just a goal down), if I'm going to be honest, which sounds a bit negative.

“I just thought that we had to refocus and reset ourselves. We did that really well. The substitutes made an impact and we're pleased to be going home with three points.”

THE PENALTY

Zak Jules held out his arms in incredulity

He wasn't the only person inside Sixfields who couldn't comprehend that a spot-kick had been awarded against him.

There looked to be only minimal contact at the most between the centre-half and Town attacker Kamarai Swyer, but ref Tierney thought differently.

“As always, I'll give my generic answer – I'll let everybody else decide,” said Hamshaw. “But I think it's quite clear to see.”

The manager had been completely impassive when Benson's blast nestled in the net.

“Sometimes it's hard,” he explained. “You want to stay in the moment, you want to make sure tactically you're set. I was concerned about us taking a backward step. We've done it a few times this season when we've scored a goal and I didn't want us to do it again.”

By the time of his post-match interview, conducted pitchside near the technical area he’d just occupied, he was a relaxed, relieved presence. “We've made a few people in that away end smile, which pleases me no end,” he grinned.

Players and supporters came together in celebration as captain Rafferty led his team over to the Persimmon Homes Stand where nearly 600 gleeful souls were bouncing away in happy unison.

Sherif orchestrated a one-two-three rat-a-tat of cheers and Hugill tried to sneak up and debag his skipper. Rafferty's shorts stayed in place, but no matter – the pair had already had Northampton's pants down with the equaliser.

The boss stood at the back for a while, quietly applauding. The win was his perhaps more than anyone's yet he handed the limelight to his team.

Rotherham winning away. “Is there a better feeling?” he asked.

Depeche Mode answered on behalf of those dancing fans: ‘I just can't get enough.’

Northampton (3-4-3): Ross Fitzsimmons; Connor McCarthy, Jordan Thorniley, Nesta Guinness-Walker; Sam Hoskins, Terry Taylor, Dean Campbell, Jack Perkins (Joe Wormleighton 90); Kamarai Swyer (Michael Jacobs 83), Jack Vale (Ethan Wheatley 21), Tyrese Fornah. Subs not used: Jordan Willis, Theo Avery, Ollie Evans, Joziah Barnett.

Rotherham (3-4-3): Cameron Dawson; Joe Rafferty, Zak Jules, Jamal Baptiste; Denzel Hall, Dan Gore, Joe Powell, Reece James (Jordan Hugill H-T); Shaun McWilliams (Kian Spence 67), Martin Sherif (Sam Nombe 67), Josh Benson (Liam Kelly 90+1). Subs not used: Hamish Douglas, Dru Yearwood, Jack Holmes

Goals: Hoskins pen 26 (Northampton); Rafferty 70, Benson 87 (Rotherham).

Referee: Paul Tierney (Greater Manchester)

Attendance: 6458 (596)