Ali Benarbia's 60th-minute goal saved Manchester City more First Division
embarrassment at Millmoor on Saturday.
Relegation-threatened Rotherham frustrated Kevin Keegan's troops, who were
still smarting from their midweek defeat at rock-bottom Stockport.
Alan Lee finished a fiery first-half by driving home the opening goal from
close range in injury time.
City had to whether a considerable storm at the start of the second period
before Benarbia managed to squeeze the ball past home goalkeeper Mike Pollitt at
the second attempt for the equaliser.
After their defeat at Edgeley Park, cramped Millmoor was hardly the ideal
choice of venues for City to get their title hopes back on track.
And it showed in a blistering first period when Rotherham's physical approach
looked like leaving Keegan's side in trouble once again.
Rotherham had the first chance in the 11th-minute when John Mullin fired over
from long range and City's jitters were evident in two defensive errors which
almost lead to a bizarre own goal.
City goalkeeper Carlo Nash made a hash of a clearance and Steve Howey's
attempted back-header forced him into an acrobatic save to prevent the opening
goal.
And just 10 minutes later Chris Sedgewick's cross from the right caused
confusion between Nash and Richard Dunne, almost leaving the ball to trickle
over the line.
Rotherham had three players booked in the first half and as City struggled to
assert themselves, they were further hampered by the loss of midfield playmaker
Eyal Berkovic through injury.
Lee headed over for Rotherham while City's best chance of the half fell to
Darren Huckerby who beat two players but rolled a weak shot straight at
Pollitt.
Lee's goal enabled the Millers to start the second period full of confidence.
Paul Warne raced down the right and saw a low shot saved by Nash, and moments
later a corner from Nick Daws produced a shot from Chris Swailes which looked
bound for goal until it was somehow blocked.
City's equaliser came against the run of play after Benarbia had got behind
the Rotherham defence and received a good low pass from Niclas Jensen on the
left.
It sparked a period of City pressure at last, but Rotherham held firm and
always looked likely to grab the point which would do their survival prospects
no harm at all.
Teams:
Rotherham: Pollitt, Branston, McIntosh, Swailes, Sedgwick, Mullin, Daws, Talbot, Hurst, Lee, Warne (Richard Barker 79).
Subs Not Used: Gray, Robins, Monkhouse, Beech.
Booked: Talbot, Daws, Sedgwick, Lee.
Goals: Lee 45.
Man City: Nash, Pearce, Howey, Dunne, Jensen,
Berkovic (Jihai 31), Horlock, Benarbia, Wright-Phillips,
Goater, Huckerby.
Subs Not Used: Royce, Mettomo, Wiekens, Macken.
Booked: Dunne.
Goals: Benarbia 60.
Att: 11,426
Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).
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