Alex Bruce sees Rotherham United take a step backwards despite moving up League Two

The Millers coach was exasperated at full-time because he saw his struggling side play well, take a 2-0 lead, yet extend their winless run to eight matches.

Paul Mullin, from the penalty spot, and Aaron Nemane put their side 2-0 up inside 13 minutes.

Yet two awful goals to concede, one in either half, meant Rotherham had to settle for a 2-2 draw against a team who have not won away from home in the league all season.

That over-rode the positives in Bruce's mind.

"To chuck the game away like we did, the mistakes that we made were just – what can you say? – just basic errors," reflected Bruce.

"The penalty was a lack of concentration and then the second was just calamity of three or four mistakes.

"It's a shame because the way we started the game in the first half was a bit more like it, wasn't it?

"I was pleased with the first-half performance but then we let them back into it and then we were a bit nervy and a bit edgy and that was the story of the night."

The first Newport goal came when Hamish Douglas was late into a tackle, the second when Jamie Jellis overplayed deep and goalkeeper Julian Eyestone fumbled a routine shot, allowing Harrison Biggins to set up Ged Garner for an unmissable chance.

It was a pity because Rotherham had started the game so well on the back of a dismal Saturday at Fleetwood Town.

"That's exactly what I want to see," Bruce said of the early exchanges. "I want to see it over 90 minutes and I've just said to the lads, we have got a lot of young players, a young group.

"Julian's not played much football in his career, Hamish Douglas, they're young lads and sometimes with young lads you have to let them know that they're going to make mistakes.

"It's just important that they learn from them and we keep trying to build on the positives of tonight and take it into Saturday.

"When you go 2-0 up, the only thing you want to do is just see after half-time and have your 15 minutes and then get ready to go again for the second half and to give them a penalty in that manner – again, it was just a lapse of concentration, not knowing where the player is behind it.

"It kills you because there's a lot of good things on the night. And with the second goal, there's just so many different things.

"When you've got 15-20 minutes to play, you two one up, the last thing you want to do is take a chance. Believe me, we're not coaching them to say let's roll it into our six (Jellis) and try and take a chance on it and turn when you're under pressure.

"It's a case of just turning the ball around, getting up the pitch, getting up to the halfway line and not taking a chance. We took the chance and paid down the price."

Asked if overall it had been a positive night as his side ended a run of four straight defeats, Bruce replied: "No, I think it's a disappointing night, unfortunately.

"When you go 2-0 up, you want to win the game. Yeah, we've not lost but it's a tough one to take."