Two games, two wins and New York Stadium like it used to be ... Matt Hamshaw reacts to a memorable Rotherham United day

The home side struck in the dying stages to mark the 43-year-old's first home match in charge with a 2-1 victory and send AESSEAL New York Stadium into raptures.

“The lads have been fantastic,” he said. “I am really pleased with the last-minute goal.

“It’s all about having the feel-good factor back and seeing smiles on faces.”

Fans returned in their thousands to embrace the appointment of the club's former coach after staying away during the final stages of Steve Evans' disappointing reign.

It was like the New York of old as Hakeem Odoffin gave Rotherham a first-half lead and then Joe Rafferty pounced in the 90th minute after the visitors had equalised with a Sonny Carey penalty.

The result lifted the Millers to 14th place in League One and banished any faint lingering fears of the drop as they are now 12 points clear of trouble with only six matches left to play.

“It’s a big three points,” Hamshaw said. “My job was to keep the club up.

“It’s hard because we haven’t had a lot of time to work together. Everyone at the club has responded. It’s a collective effort. We have brought the group together. I am really proud of the players.

“I am riding on the crest of a wave at the minute. It's a difficult run of fixtures, but I don’t fear anybody. I am trying to embed that lack of fear within the club.

“This won’t last forever. We won’t win every game I'm in charge for, but it won’t be for a lack of desire.”

Rotherham were cheered off at half-time when they were leading 1-0 and then there was a mass celebration by fans and players alike at the final whistle.

Blackpool head coach Steve Bruce admitted the Millers were worthy of their triumph even though his team came into the contest after the interval and put pressure on Hamshaw's men.

“To be fair, we didn’t deserve much, if I am being brutally honest,” he said.

“First half, we looked really, really flat. We were better, second half, and got ourselves back in the game.

“We did not defend their big strength, which is to put it in the box and ask you a few questions. We haven’t dealt with a long throw and a big punt into the box and it's cost us two goals. There are no excuses.

“We knew this was going to be different to what it would have been a week ago but I expected us to defend better than what we did at set-pieces.”