Raggett the match winner as Millers tame Lions

Sean Raggett’s first-half goal was enough to separate the sides at a drenched AESSEAL New York Stadium, with Paul Warne’s side showing Yorkshire grit aplenty to come through and bag the points.

It was Raggett’s first goal since his summer loan switch from Norwich and a perfectly timed one.

The home line-up showed two changes from the midweek defeat to Hull, with Raggett recalled in defence and Kyle Vassell coming in to play an advanced wide position. Semi Ajayi reverted to a deep-lying midfield position in a 4-3-3 formation.

Millwall were expected to present a physical threat but it didn’t really materialise in the first half.

After a shaky opening, Rotherham took the lead on 20 minutes. Will Vaulks hung up an inviting cross to the far post and Raggett rose highest to glance a header beyond the dive of Jordan Archer.

The goal settled the Millers and they went on to control things up to half time. Ryan Williams, Richard Wood, Raggett (again) and Semi Ajayi all went close and there was a big penalty shout for handball against Ryan Tunnicliffe. Indeed it took nearly 40 minutes for the visitors to work Marek Rodak and when he was, the Slovakian stopper was equal to Jed Wallace’s raking free-kick.

Millwall came out for the second half looking like a team that had had the hard word at half time. Jake Cooper’s header forced Rodak to block not too convincingly but after forcing some pressure of their own, the Millers should have doubled their lead on the hour mark. They broke down the left and Vassell did ever so well to pick out Michael Smith but the striker, in space just inside the area, fired against the legs of the keeper.

The match remained in the balance and the Millers needed the cushion of a second goal. Rodak’s feet denied one-time Rotherham loanee Tom Elliott an equaliser and Jed Wallace wasn’t far wide from distance.

In pouring rain, the Millers really had to dig in to close out the points but deserved them and Warne showed his delight with a fist-clenching salute to the crowd at the finish. They sit 15th in the table after five games.

Millers: Rodak; Vyner, Raggett, Wood, Mattock; Ajayi, Vaulks, Manning; Williams, Smith (Proctor 75), Vassell (Newell 87)

Millwall: Archer, McLaughlin, Meredith, Cooper, Williams, Jed Wallace, Tunnicliffe (Morison 79), Elliott, O’brien (Skalak 64), Murray Wallace, Gregory (Bradshaw 64)

Referee: Geoff Eltringham

Attendance:  8,196 (694 visitors)