A youthful Rotherham United second-string were narrowly defeated 3-2 against their Huddersfield Town counterparts in the Central League Cup on Tuesday afternoon.
Goals from Wilfred Peel-Evans and Haroon Salah weren't enough for Ciaran Toner's men who could have got a point had Jacob Gratton converted a first-half spot kick, however, they lost after three goals were converted by the Terriers inside the opening 45 minutes.
It was Huddersfield who got the scoring under way after a corner found its way to Mustapha Olagunju at the back post and he fired home into the top left corner.
The visitors continued to dominate the first period and they doubled their lead through quick interchanges leading to a chance from Kian Harratt, and he made no mistake in slotting beyond Laurence Bilboe in the Millers goal with 20 minutes on the clock.
The Millers' first chance came through Ethan Kenny when he latched onto a bad back pass but could only fire wide. Just two minutes later and Rotherham pulled one back, with Gratton doing well down the right before his cross found Peel-Evans who slotted past Giouse Bellagambi in the Huddersfield goal.
The Millers had a big chance to level the scoring on 32 minutes when Jerome Greaves went down in the area and the referee pointed to the spot. Gratton took responsibility to step up and take it, but he could only fire over the crossbar.
Seven minutes after the Millers missed the penalty, Huddersfield made them pay following a corner. Will McCamley's superb curling strike found the top corner of the net to extend their lead to two goals once more, leaving the hosts with it all to do.
Half Time | Reserves 1 v 3 Huddersfield
It was a quiet start in terms of real clear-cut chances in the second half, however, Huddersfield had quite a bit of the ball without troubling the Millers goal.
Things came alive on 65 minutes after a good through ball by Gratton, and Salah converted smartly beyond Bellagambi to make it a close ending to the game.
Huddersfield penned Rotherham into their own half and Remi Thompson forced Bilboe into a smart save as they tried to get their two-goal advantage back, but the Millers had a penalty appeal waved away before the referee brought an end to proceedings.
Full Time | Reserves 2 v 3 Huddersfield
Millers: Bilboe, Makwedza (Hanley 45'), Hinds, Spence, Hull, Smith, Gratton, Peel-Evans, Greaves, Kenny, Gateshill (Salah 60')
Subs not used: Ellis, Scott, Wenham.