Super-sub Chris Beech scored his second ever goal and his first for the Millers as Rotherham finally broke their Millmoor duck to lift them out of the First Division relegation zone.

After three draws and two defeats on home soil this season, it was Beech who stole the show with a stunning 85th minute strike just four minutes after taking to the pitch.

It looked as if United had thrown away another lead when Peter Crouch headed home a 58th minute equaliser, seemingly repaying a further significant slice of his £1.2million fee following his summer move from QPR.

But with a place in the top three looming for Graham Rix's side, they were to be denied, leaving them without a win at Rotherham for 23 years.

In truth, United should have sewn up the game in the opening 30 minutes, but only had Andy Monkhouse's first goal this term to show for their domination as the visitors were left in the starting blocks.

Winger Monkhouse fired Ronnie Moore's side into a fourth minute lead as the Millers looked to build on their first Division One victory of the campaign at Grimsby a week ago.

Stewart Talbot and Nick Daws created the initial opening for Alan Lee with a 15-yard shot which fit-again goalkeeper Dave Beasant could only palm into the path of the waiting Monkhouse.

The 20-year-old then steadied himself before curling a left-foot shot beyond the diving Beasant, the 42-year-old between the posts after seven weeks out with a broken hand and on-loan Sasa Ilic having returned to Charlton.

Chances flowed, but were all spurned by Monkhouse, Martin McIntosh and twice by the club's eight-goal leading scorer in Mark Robins before Portsmouth finally woke up.

It was a riveting Robert Prosinecki 30-yard free-kick, superbly turned aside by Mike Pollitt just after the half-hour mark, which proved the turning point.

McIntosh headed across the face of his own goal while under pressure, a Crouch flick was narrowly wide before Croatia international Prosinecki flashed a powerful drive through the area.

With Pompey in the ascendancy, they finally made their possession count, but not before Linvoy Primus almost marked his heavenly return with a first goal for the visitors.

After four months out with a knee injury, Primus visited a spiritual healer at a prayer meeting three weeks ago, and after a laying on of hands returned a new man.

His flashing drive was narrowly wide before Crouch grabbed the equaliser by stealing in front of Chris Swailes to meet a Lee Bradbury cross and power a header beyond the rooted Pollitt for his eighth of the season - and seventh with his head.

The lanky Crouch was unlucky to have two penalty appeals turned down by referee Frazer Stretton after appearing to be manhandled on both occasions, prior to Beech turning matchwinner.

John Mullin, coming on as a 67th minute sub to make his debut following a £150,000 move from Burnley last week, delivered an 85th minute corner for the normally left-footed Beech to control superbly.

With more than 100 appearances behind him for both Cardiff and Rotherham, the 25-year-old then delivered a stunning 25-yard strike beyond Beasant and in off the post to spark jubilant scenes among Millers fans, which were matched at the final whistle.

Teams:

Rotherham: Pollitt, Hurst, Scott, McIntosh, Swailes, Talbot, Sedgwick, Robins, Lee (Richard Barker 77), Daws (Mullin 67), Monkhouse (Beech 81).

Subs Not Used: Gray, Watson.

Booked: Scott, Robins.

Goals: Monkhouse 4, Beech 85.

Portsmouth: Beasant, Primus, Hiley, Edinburgh, Prosinecki, Barrett, Quashie (Vine 89), Pitt, Harper, Crouch, Bradbury.

Subs Not Used: Tardif, Vincent, Crowe, O'Neil.

Booked: Crouch, Bradbury, Pitt.

Goals: Crouch 58.

Att: 6,427

Ref: F Stretton (Nottingham).