Ten-man Millers beaten

A below par performance was punished by a goal in each half from Louis Dodds and Gavin Tomlin, the second coming after Claude Davis was controversially sent off for a challenge on ex-Miller Tom Pope. Kieran Agard also missed a penalty in the first half.

Steve Evans’ men paid for a sluggish start when Dodds opened the scoring after eight minutes from the edge of the penalty box.

Vale had the upper hand but should have been pegged back nine minutes later as Agard’s weak spot kick was saved by Sam Johnson after James Tavernier had been upended close to goal.

Michael O’Connor free-kick clipped the outside of the post in first-half injury time but Rotherham’s task was made harder nine minutes after the restart when Davis saw red after he was alleged to have kicked Pope as he lay on the ground.

Despite strong protests that Davis had made contact with the ball and that there was no malicious intent, referee Rob Lewis was unmoved.

Vale made the extra man advantage count on 67 minutes when Tomlin rammed in from close range to make sure of the points.

 Port Vale: Johnson, Yates, Dickinson, Chilvers, Duffy, Dodds , Loft, Lines, Griffith (Birchall 73), Tomlin (Shuker 78), Pope

Millers: Collin, Tavernier, Skarz, Morgan, Davis, Agard, Arnason, O’Connor (Brindley 61), Pringle, Vuckic (Tidser 58), Revell (Tubbs 86)

Referee: Rob Lewis (Shropshire)

Attendance: 6,738 (1,205 visitors)