Frustrated Rotherham United boss Steve Evans rounds on critics and singles out player for criticism after Leyton Orient loss

A scrappy game was decided midway through the second half, courtesy of a goal from home centre-half Dan Happe from a Tom James free-kick, with Evans angered at what he viewed as a soft concession – with Humphreys viewed as culpable - as the O's secured a first home league win of the campaign.

The result leaves the Millers in an underwhelming 17th place in the table after 13 matches of the season, but Evans came out fighting in his after-match press conference, while pointing a finger at Humphrys.

He said: "The player misses that chance and then doesn't pick up his man at a set-play and they score.

"It's a disappointing night. There was nothing in the game.

"I think we controlled possession. We're still trying to find a way up front. We got down the sides of them but we lacked quality in the final third. I sound like a broken record.

"If you don't defend properly, which we don't for their goal, and you get in the final third and don't have that quality you need at this level, you pay a price." If our player does his job, we go in front and we don't concede."

A testing evening began with Jamie McCart pulling his calf in the warm-up, with Evans angered by suggestions that his side's performance was negative when interviewed afterwards on BBC Radio Sheffield.

He added: "We were without four massive players, do you understand that.

"McCart comes down injured in the warm-up. We're here without (Sean) Raggett, we're here without (Jonson) Clarke-Harris. (Liam) Kelly has had his first game back in about six weeks. We are here without massive players, so you (reporter) need to stop being negative and look at it objectively."