Depth reason Rotherham United's Matt Hamshaw is under pressure as Grant McCann looks forward with Doncaster Rovers
Never mind keep pace, when Doncaster Rovers went up a few gears at the New York Stadium, Rotherham United could not even maintain their level.
With 15 games in 10 weeks to stay in League One, their lack of staying power was alarming.
They actually helped Rovers to a victory with a lot of history behind it. The 2-1 win was their first in 15 matches spread over 41 years in Rotherham, 76 seasons after last beating the Millers home and away.
No wonder manager Grant McCann let himself go celebrating in front of the away end at full-time.
Considering Doncaster have not been in a higher division for 12 years, the gap in quality was alarmingly wide in their favour – or rather depth of quality. Injuries are eating into Rotherham's depth, but are they a sign of how Rovers are outperforming them off the field too?
When the hosts were in charge of the first half they were maxing out yet only a goal in front; when McCann needed more, he had plenty of places to look for it.
How Doncaster have built – and looked after – a squad has been a collective effort, and Rotherham falling behind is a joint failing. But when it comes to handing out responsibility, football can be pretty specific.
Manager Matt Hamshaw was booed off. He has been fighting the tide all season – it feels like he could soon go under.
Are the tools there to do much better than 23rd in League One? At the break you would have said yes.
"I thoroughly thought we were going to win the game," said Hamshaw.
Unperturbed by Zak Jules’ hamstring strain in the warm-up, they were sharp right from the start.
The game was not half a minute old when Jay McGrath's clumsy touches from a long ball let Duncan Watmore in and the panicky centre-back pulled him back.
After more than two minutes of faff, Sam Nombe hammered the ball high down the middle as Thimothee Lo-Tutala guessed low and left.
Rotherham looked confident, Rovers bedraggled, no one more so than McGrath, booked for the pull, then badly miscuing a clearance.
Watmore was the player the Millers patiently waited to sign, running through to create a chance Jack Senior just beat Shaun McWilliams to, but funnelling back to help the midfield protect the lead too.
McWilliams and Josh Benson were creative in midfield, Nombe sharp up front.
But even though Doncaster were "so poor" in the words of McCann, Benson's free-kick from a crossing position forced the only save Lo-Tutala had to make all game.
With January signing Watmore making his first start in 13 months and Benson his first since mid-December, Hamshaw front-loaded his team to break the back of it early.
McWilliams made way at half-time, to a calf injury, but Ar'Jany Martha was unable to spark anything in his place.
Whilst Hamshaw was reluctant to throw Gabriele Biancheri and Lino Sousa, Manchester United and Aston Villa loanees, on there were game-changers on the other bench.
"If I could have made 10 changes, I would have made 10 at half-time," claimed McCann, "but I gave seven the benefit of the doubt. Truthfully, it couldn't have been any worse."
Glenn Middleton, Brandon Hanlan and Harry Clifton came on for three forwards who struggled to get into the game and instantly energised their team.
Fifty-one minutes in, Middleton knocked the ball one side of Jamal Baptiste and ran around the other to win a corner. When Joe Rafferty rashly dived into a tackle just inside Doncaster's half five minutes later, he sprinted away and delivered a ball Hanlan stretched to poke in.
"I think you saw confidence drain out of the players," said Hamshaw.
The next goal was worse, Luke Molyneux chasing a lost cause over the top. Cameron Dawson was indecisive enough to let him charge down his touch, and Molyneux stayed calm and curled the ball in.
"Right foot as well," said McCann.
"It happens," rued Hamshaw. "Individual moments cost us."
It had been a show of strength.
"We're going to need the squad every single game," said McCann.
"We just want to see how far we can climb up the division.
"I love this time of year. The sun comes out a little bit, the games come thick and fast. We can rack up a lot of wins in a short space of time."
Away at fortress Valley Parade on Tuesday, the run-in looks far bleaker for Rotherham.
Rotherham United: Dawson; Rafferty (Cover 79), Adegboyega, Baptiste, James (Sousa 90+1); McWilliams (Martha HT), Spence, Benson (Yearwood 75); Gray, Watmore (Biancheri 75), Nombe. Unused substitutes: Cann, Agbaire.
Doncaster Rovers: Lo-Tutala; Sterry, Byrne, McGrath, Senior; Gotts (Broadbent 79); Molyneux (Gibson 87), Bailey, Lee (Clifton HT), Adelakun (Middleton HT); Sharp (Hanlan HT). Unused substitutes: Pearson, Oram.
Referee: S Mather (Atherton).