Rotherham United 1-1 Millwall: Millers draw in Matt Taylor's first game

New Rotherham boss Matt Taylor spent more than four years in charge of Exeter before moving this week

Rotherham and Millwall shared the points after an absorbing clash at the New York Stadium.

It means an unbeaten start as Millers boss for Matt Taylor, who was in the dugout despite only joining the club from Exeter the previous day.

Dan Barlaser's early penalty for the hosts was cancelled out by a stunning Zian Flemming strike just before half-time.

The Dutchman later came inches away from winning it with a long-range free-kick which rattled the crossbar.

Under-fire Millwall boss Gary Rowett made six changes and employed a new 4-3-3 system but it was the hosts who gave their new manager the perfect start as they were ahead inside nine minutes.

Jake Cooper slid rashly into the marauding Ben Wiles on the right of the area, allowing Barlaser to step up and squeeze a low shot past George Long, who had dived to his right but could not prevent the ball finding the net.

The visitors grew into the game and just after the half-hour the ball came off a Rotherham head to the recalled Tyler Burey on the left of the box, but his outside of the foot poke bounced past the post with the keeper beaten.

The pressure continued and three minutes later an inviting Burey cross from the left was diverted over the bar by the onrushing Tom Bradshaw.

At the other end Brooke Norton-Cuffy tried his luck from just outside the box but sent his curling effort over the angle of post and bar on 38 minutes, and the wide man fizzed another effort into the stands from a similar position two minutes later.

The Lions went in level at the break thank to a thunderbolt from their record-signing Flemming. He found space 25 yards out and unleashed a curling left-footed drive which rocketed into the top corner past the despairing Viktor Johansson's right hand.

Three minutes after the interval Flemming took aim from even further out with his right foot, but dragged his low effort wide, while Rotherham's Chiedozie Ogbene saw a fierce strike from the edge of the area deflected wide soon after.

Ollie Rathbone pulled a low strike past the near post when he had team-mates in space, before Flemming rattled the crossbar with a stunning free-kick just before the hour - Johannson tipping the ball onto the woodwork to deny the 24-year-old a memorable double.

Bradshaw headed over at the far post after Cooper had nodded the resulting corner from Saville back across goal.

Wiles leant back to send a shot from 18 yards well over the bar for the home side after good work from Ogbene, while the outstretched Bradshaw went close to turning in a low Flemming cross-shot on the slide on 66 minutes as the end-to-end pattern continued.

Despite the visitors pressing for a winner in the latter stages, which included seven added minutes, they had to settle for a draw.

The point ended a run of three away defeats for Rowett's side, while the Millers bounced back after Saturday's 2-0 home reverse against Wigan to make it 12 points from seven home games and climbed to 13th, just three points outside the play-off places, with the Lions a point behind in 16th.

Rotherham boss Matt Taylor:

"I enjoyed it. I really enjoyed the first half an hour, our physicality, we dominated that first period, it gave us a platform in the game.

"From that point on we were a little bit open and a little bit chaotic and we lacked a bit of quality at times in the game. I couldn't fault the amount of energy those boys put into it.

"Lots to work on and lots of ways to get more positive impacts in the game. I think certain aspects of the game can be improved straight away.

"We could have taken the easy option tonight and sat in the stands and judge from afar. But we wanted to be part of it, we wanted the players who took the team last week to concentrate on their job and play, it was important we took responsibility."

Millwall manager Gary Rowett:

"Zian is a talented boy and he is going to benefit massively from games like this, a physical game that you don't get in the Eredivisie.

"He is going to learn and get better and better. A great left-foot strike, hit the crossbar with his right, he has got a little bit of everything. He will get better and better.

"As an away performance it was much better than we have had recently. I liked our response, we didn't go under, we didn't shrink, we kept control and controlled large parts of the game.

"They had one shot on goal, we had a number of glaringly good chances. There were lots of things to be enthused by."