Boss Matt Taylor was quick to hail the never-say-die spirit of his Millers side as they withstood an onslaught from hosts, Stoke City, to record their first away victory of their Sky Bet Championship league campaign thanks to Ollie Rathbone’s early goal.
“We rode our luck at times. Viktor (Johansson) had a fantastic game. It was important to score early away from home. From then on, it was one-way traffic. I cannot fault the effort the boys put in. It was a lucky three points but a deserved one. Luck paid its part. The lads gave absolutely everything. The will to win at our club is second to none. We were out on our feet at times.
“We rode our luck at times and our ‘keeper has had an outstanding game but this team has got something which the fans love and we love.
“The unity, the desire and the togetherness. The subs making an impact and supporting the boys on the bench.
“The early goal helped and it gave us something to hold onto and force the opposition to move their unit in a different way. They went a bit more aggressive and a bit longer, which suited us.
“We didn’t get close to the opposition goal in that second period and we started to run out of legs – as we have done time and time again this season, certainly away from home – but that heart is just second to none. It really it. That’s a memorable night for our fans.
“Viktor was excellent in terms of shot stopping. He has made big saves tonight and credit to our backline also. It was a collective effort from everyone.
“The home crowd were boisterous. There were no rash challenges from us and we did not add heat to the environment.
“We changed something tonight. We played an extra midfielder. We also changed it tactically during the game. We played a quality team tonight, so it’s a huge three points.
“It’s our first away win. However, we have to put it to bed and look forward to Saturday’s game.”