Rotherham United 1 Birmingham City 1: Paul Warne delighted in spite of Yates's miss

Birmingham became the first team not to beat the already relegated Millers since February after Danny Ward’s late goal cancelled out a superb free-kick from Kerim Frei.

The Millers were well worthy of their point and would have had three but for Jerry Yates’s shocking miss at the end, when he blazed over with the goal gaping.

“My overriding emotion is contentment because of the run we have been on and they scored a wonder goal with the free-kick,” he said.

“It’s a difficult job when things are going quite right, they could easily down tools.

“Although we could have taken all three points I am still taking pride for the second half. They had a right go. I am edged with a bit of disappointment because of the chance we had at the end, but I am pretty buoyant.

“It feels pretty amazing. If Jerry scored we would have celebrated like we’d have been promoted.

“It was just a good feeling; we haven’t scored at home for a while. It was nice to get at least one point.

“They are pretty pleased with themselves, they are proud of how they performed. On another day we might have taken another two points.

“A draw means a lot to us because we have had 10 defeats on the spin.”

Beleaguered Blues manager Gianfranco Zola is remaining defiant after Birmingham supporters chanted for his head after the draw. It left Zola’s men without a win in eight games.

Over 2,500 Blues fans were calling for Zola to be sacked, but the Italian does not intend to go anywhere.

“Why should I leave before the end of the season?” he said. “I don’t leave things undone. I can handle the situation so why should I leave?

“We have four games to play. We need those points to be safe, then we will focus on next season. Then I will say things that have to be said.

“At the end of the season I will say a few things and we will assess the situation. I will be the first one to take the responsibility for things.”

Rotherham United: O’Donnell, Fisher (Yates 61), Ajayi, Wood, Mattock, Taylor, Vaulks, Smallwood, Newell (Adeyemi 46), Morris (Clarke-Harris 77), Ward. Unused substitutes: Belaid, Bray, Purrington, Bilboe.

Birmingham City: Kuszczak, Bielik, Shotton, Robinson (Frei 55), Nsue, Davis, Tesche (Maghoma 90), Gardner (Kieftenbeld 80), Grounds, Che Adams, Jutkiewicz. Unused substitutes: Legzdins, Gleeson, Keita,Sinclair.

Referee: James Linington (Isle of Wight).