The Millers were unmissable from the spot via Pablo Mills, Danny Harrison, Mark Hudson, Andy Todd and Reuben Reid.

Owls winger Etienne Esajas, whose two goals in open play were ruled out by strikes from Alex Rhodes and man-of-the-match Reid, was the cruel victim for Wednesday as he clipped the outside of the post, unable to match conversions by Leon Clarke, James O'Connor and Sean McAllister.

The Owls had made five changes to the side which beat Burnley 4-1 on the opening day, while Rotherham gave a debut to Nick Fenton at centre-half.

Ryan Taylor was the first to show, but his finish could not match a smart turn inside the penalty area, while Ian Sharps threw himself in front of Deon Burton's goal-bound shot and referee Nigel Miller ruled out Clarke's headed 'goal' for pushing.

Wednesday had scored three goals inside 17 minutes on Saturday and could have bettered that last night – Steve Watson seeing his floated shot crash back off the crossbar in the seventh minute.

The game promised goals for the 16,298 crowd and two came inside a minute. Esajas whipped a low shot beyond Andy Warrington after some nifty footwork, before the Millers hit back throug Rhodes.

The goals seemed to have a calming influence on the rest of the first half, with Reid showing flashes of quality on the Millers' right flank.

Esajas looked Wednesday's most promising outlet, and he came close to adding his second but his 25-yard free-kick cannoned against the woodwork and away to safety.

Then the Dutchman was thwarted by a point-blank save from Warrington after the restart as it was soon becoming the 'Esajas Show'.

Taylor again showed some neat control to turn his marker on the edge of the penalty area before flashing an effort wide of Lee Grant's goal.

Both sides were now playing a lone striker, Burton departing in what looked a tactical switch, and it took a last-ditch tackle from Peter Gilbert to halt Reid in front of the traveling 3,000 Millers supporters.

The crossbar then saved Rotherham for the third time on the night when on-loan Chelsea midfielder Jimmy Smith let fly from 25 yards as the stalemate began to drift towards extra-time.

Reid spurned a great chance to clinch the tie in the 111th minute, but after bamboozling his way beyond Richard Wood, he could not beat Grant from a narrow angle.

Marc Joseph was given a straight red for hauling down Clarke as he burst through on goal, Esajas curling his free-kick inside Warrington's left-hand post.

But the Millers refused to lie down and after Danny Harrison hit the woodwork, Reid hammered home the loose ball with just three minutes left.

Sheffield Wednesday: Grant, Spurr, Beevers, Wood, Gilbert, Esajas, O'Connor, Watson (Boden 76), Smith (Lekaj 87), Burton (McAllister 62), Clarke. Unused substitutes: O'Donnell, Lunt, McMenamin.

Rotherham United: Warrington, Lynch, Sharps, Fenton (Todd 112), Harrison, Reid, Hudson, Joseph, Mills, Rhodes (Green 88), Taylor (Yates 88) Unused substitutes: Cann, Tonge, Cummins, Holmes.

Referee: N Miller.