Another turning point for Rotherham United against Northampton Town - this time for right reasons: final word

A former manager present at Sixfields on Saturday in the shape of Ronnie Moore certainly will.

Back in early 2004, his Millers team, then in the second tier, drew an FA Cup tie there and fatefully lost the replay against a Cobblers side who were two divisions below them with Moore’s men terrorised by a little forward called Derek Asamoah.

In the process, Rotherham missed out on a huge money-spinning prize draw against Manchester United and things were never quite the same again for Ronnie, first time around.

Those games with the Cobblers were widely viewed as a watershed moment for the Millers, who started a gradual descent in their aftermath and were relegated the following season.

The devout hope now is that Northampton might, just might, be the precursor to the turning of a different sort of corner under one of the Millers’ own in Matt Hamshaw, who arrived in the South Midlands under a fair bit of pressure.

Just like on his previous visit to Northampton 169 days earlier, he left with three points tucked away in the satchel.

That earlier win on April 1, in his first game in charge of his boyhood club, was a proud-as-punch moment.

That late-season game had an element of new manager ‘bounce’ - with players energised by Hamshaw's arrival following the departure of Steve Evans. With respect, it was a bit of a free hit as well.

By contrast, this latest victory had real substance and psychological weight in the context of a hitherto fraught campaign.

Like in the spring, Hamshaw was proud once again - and mightily relieved. You also looked into the whites of his eyes afterwards and there was proper optimism.

The feeling that this was the moment that the Millers manager, his players and staff - not to mention the club’s supporters - had been waiting for since August was unmistakable.

The big moment when it came was delivered by the golden right boot of Josh Benson with a delectable free-kick to win it on 87 minutes.

Having hauled themselves back into the game through captain Joe Rafferty's 71st-minute equaliser with the Millers' first effort on target, the final period felt colossal.

Should Rotherham's trait of conceding painful late goals at league level - think Wigan, Mansfield and Bradford - have resurfaced and resulted in a sixth successive away league defeat, it would have represented the biggest blow of all. Mercifully, it didn't and fortunes flipped.

Hamshaw rightly referenced his players' intent after Rafferty's strike. Rather than luxuriate in celebration, they tellingly raced straight back to the centre circle. They were here for business. Not just taking an away point to stop the rot. It spoke volumes.

That the Millers chief was able to field a strong-looking bench was also pretty significant and his timing of changes was exquisite.

Kion Etete may be now sidelined for a lengthy spell, but the names of Sam Nombe and Jordan Hugill assuage matters. Nombe entered the fray shortly before Rafferty's leveller for his comeback cameo. Another player who offers something in Kian Spence came on.

Hugill entered at the interval and while he may have his detractors among supporters, his boss isn't one of them. His arrival helped change the game and his guided header to tee up the leveller on a silver platter for Rafferty following Jamal Baptiste's centre was wonderful.

Earlier, it had felt like being another of those depressing days.

A penalty awarded by Premier League referee Paul Tierney following very minimal contact from Zak Jules on the back leg of Kamarai Swyer was soft in the extreme. The experienced Sam Hoskins was never likely to pass up the gift, firing in his 100th Cobblers’ goal.

Hamshaw and his staff were justifiably incandescent with rage.

At the end of the game, it was Hamshaw's good mate Kevin Nolan who was nonplussed following the free-kick award which led to the visitors' winner. His team's laboured, poor performance should have been his overriding concern.

This was Rotherham's day, deservedly, with Nombe's return further sweetening matters. The trick now is not to waste this.

Northampton Town: Fitzsimmons; McCarthy, Thorniley, Perkins (Wormleighton 90); Hoskins, Taylor, Campbell, Guinness-Walker; Swyer (Jacobs 83), Vale (Wheatley 21), Fornah. Substitutes unused: Willis, Avery, Evans, Barnett.

Rotherham United: Dawson; Rafferty, Jules, Baptiste; Hall, Gore, Powell, James (Hugill HT); McWilliams (Spence 67), Benson (Kelly 91); Sherif (Nombe 67). Substitutes unused: Yearwood, J Holmes, Douglas.

Referee: P Tierney (Lancs).