Millers held on Evans' return......

Steve Evans’ second spell in charge of the Millers began with a home draw with relegation threatened Birmingham City.

There was a buzz around the AESSEAL New York Stadium and the town with Evans’ homecoming, after his success-filled stint between 2012-2015.

The charismatic Scotsman put his trademark on the Millers side by enforcing changes in personnel and playing style just days after being appointed once again.   

There were surprise returns for Peter Kioso and Jordan Hugill while long-term injury absentee Grant Hall was named on the home bench.

There was also a tactical reshuffle with Evans reverting to his favoured 4-4-2 formation – which served him well in his first spell in charge – as well as in his last role at Stevenage.

Lee Peltier was named at the heart of the Millers rearguard alongside Cameron Humphreys. The move enabled Hakeem Odoffin to play in a more advanced role, incidentally, as the pivot of the diamond behind the front pair of Hugill and Sam Nombe.    

Evans was given a rapturous welcome prior to kick-off, and he returned to the dugout, which was the scene of many a great moment, during his previous spell.

Both sets of supporters were in fine voice in the early stages and it was Birmingham, who threatened first, when Keshi Anderson sped past Millers skipper Ollie Rathbone before clipping a cross which was met by Tyler Roberts, but he could only volley wide of the target.

The Millers forced back-to-back corners through Rathbone and Seb Revan on the opposite flank but both set-pieces came to nothing.

There was a break in play following a medical emergency in the crowd and both sets of players left the field shortly afterwards.

The game was temporarily suspended while the home supporter received urgent attention before leaving the stadium with medical professionals.

The game restarted with 11 minutes on the clock after a stoppage of over half-an-hour and after the players had gone back on the pitch for a short warm-up.

Both sides traded chances on the resumption when Nombe headed into the grateful hands of John Ruddy following Revan’s floated cross before Viktor Johansson was called into action for the first time to deny Anderson with a smart save with his legs.

The home side had a good spell of pressure when Nombe appeared to be wrestled to the floor by Krystian Bielik in the box following Odoffin’s knock down but the referee took no further action before Hugill rose highest to meet Revan’s centre but his header was straight at Ruddy.

Moments later, Rathbone fizzed a low effort which was deflected wide of the target before Cafu’s resultant corner was met by the head of Peltier, at the far post, but he could not direct his header goalwards.

Evans was forced into a double substitution when firstly Cafu, and then, Kioso pulled up with what appeared to be muscle injuries and Arvin Appiah and Cohen Bramall were introduced.

The Millers had a couple of opportunities near the interval when Dion Sanderson was perfectly stationed to diffuse Rathbone’s dangerous free-kick, by heading over his own bar, before Bielik denied the home captain by blocking another effort en-route to goal.

Half-time: Rotherham United 0 Birmingham City 0

With the Blues now attacking their large travelling contingent, half-time substitute Koji Miyoshi had an early effort deflected wide before Odoffin was harshly adjudged to have fouled Ethan Laird, but Seung-Ho Paik’s tame free-kick came to nothing.

Hugill became the first to see yellow following an aerial clash with Lee Buchanan before Humphreys soon joined him in the book for tripping Jay Stansfield.

Anderson became the next to incur the wrath of the referee, by being yellow-carded, for dissent.

There was little noteworthy action until Stansfield failed to get Laird’s long ball under his spell and the chance was lost before Bramall fired a weak free-kick into the Birmingham wall after Nombe was bundled over on the edge of the box.

There were more cautions than chances as Stansfield was the next to see yellow following lengthy protests.

Stansfield almost went from villain to hero in the next phase of play.

Miyoshi delivered a free-kick into the box and Peltier, in an attempt to clear the danger, could only divert the ball into the path of Stansfield, who got the ball under control, before firing home from the edge of the box to spark wild celebrations from the away end.

However, Birmingham’s joy was cut short when the assistant referee belatedly raised his flag.

The moment almost proved crucial when Appiah took advantage of Bielik’s error to force Ruddy into a smothered save before Odoffin was denied a shooting opportunity in the next phase of play.   

Sub Tom Eaves was yellow-carded following a trip before Peltier used all his experience to haul Siriki Dembele in full-flow following a dangerous Blues counter-attack, but he also had his name taken.  

Both sides had late chances when Rathbone clipped a cross which looked inviting for Eaves, at the far stick, but Laird stood up well to his aerial prowess, and earned a free kick in the process before Nombe hooked over.   

The Millers were then indebted to Johansson – not for the first time this season – when Bielik’s knock forward fell invitingly for Miyoshi, who looked to guide his effort into the bottom corner of the Millers goal but the Swedish stopper pulled off a top drawer save to preserve parity.

There was further drama to come in stoppage time when Revan – who notched his first senior goal recently – fired a rasping drive which brought the best out of Ruddy, who turned the ball around the post. 

Full-time: Rotherham United 0 Birmingham City 0

Rotherham United 0

Birmingham City 0

Teams: Rotherham- Johansson, Cafu (Appiah 32), Hugill (Eaves 81), Rinomhota, Rathbone, Peltier, Odoffin, Humphreys, Revan, Nombe, Kioso (Bramall 37). Unused- Phillips, Grant Hall, Seriki, Hatton.

Birmingham- Ruddy, Laird, Buchanan, Sanderson, Bielik, T Roberts (Bacuna 59), Paik, Anderson (Dembele 77), Stansfield (Hogan 89), Sunjic, Burke (Miyoshi 46). Unused- Etheridge, M Roberts, James, Gardner, George Hall.

Referee- K Stroud

Attendance- 11001 (2204)