How Rotherham United evoked 'Great Escape' memories of yore in shock Championship home win over Middlesbrough

Then, as now, a struggling Rotherham line-up rumbled a Boro side with promotion aspirations by way of an unlikely, but infinitely memorable, 1-0 victory.

For Lee Frecklington at the New Tivoli end, read Cohen Bramall in front of the same stand on Tuesday. Even if the goal timings were slightly out of sync.

The former scored on 88 minutes against Aitor Karanka’s chastened Boro on March 8, 2016, while the latter struck 18 minutes from the end of regulation time on Tuesday.

Both had the effect of providing the kiss of life to the Millers’ hopes of retaining their Championship status and left both visiting managers feeling decidedly rough.

Not far shy of eight years ago, then Boro chief Karanka remarked in a morose after-match interview that his side should have won by ‘4-0 or 5-0’.

A few days later, amid growing tensions behind the scenes, matters came to a head when the Spaniard left Boro’s training ground after storming out of an acrimonious squad meeting. He was subsequently temporarily placed on gardening leave and did not take charge of a game at Charlton, before the matter was resolved.

By contrast, Michael Carrick was somewhat calmer after Boro’s latest Millers loss, even if he was left to pick up the pieces after another smash-and-grab raid by Rotherham.

Back in early 2016, Neil Warnock was on the Millers’ manor and lapped up events against a club he would later manage in Boro, stating that keeping Rotherham in the second tier would be the best achievement of his career by an ‘absolute mile’. Until he called in at Huddersfield Town, that is.

The present-day Millers have a fair bit to go if they are to emulate those intoxicating ‘Great Escape’ events at the end of 15-16.

They are back in the game at least, albeit with much still to do. There is an inkling of hope again, after a maiden victory of the Leam Richardson era, which was drunken in by home punters, if less so by travelling Teessiders.

Unlikely goalscoring hero Bramall, who chose the perfect time to score his first ever home goal for United, commented: “It was a massive result. We just need to kick on from here.

"It's tough but it's the job that you're in, isn't it? You've got to stay positive.

"It's about having a strong mentality and keeping as positive as possible. The win is massive for confidence.

"Players have got to maintain survival belief. We've got to keep believing."

The ex-Lincoln City defender was the first to admit that his cross-shot which sailed into the net over the stunned Tom Glover had an element of fortune. But given the Millers’ luckless 2023-24 thus far, you take what you can.

The Millers remain nine points adrift of fourth-from-bottom Huddersfield Town with 22 matches still to play. Points take precedence over performances when you are down among the dead men.

On whether his strike was the most important of his career to date, Bramall added: "One hundred percent, yes, with where we are in the table. I didn’t mean it, but it’s probably one of those goals that meant a lot to me, to be fair.

"It's gone in, hasn't it? That's the main thing. We needed the three points.

"I've gone to cross the ball, it's bobbled up and come off the top of my ankle.

"As soon as the ball left my foot, I knew it was going in. For a bobble, it flew in!

"It's about time we get a bit of luck. I'm not bothered about the goal, I care about the three points more than anything. It means a lot more to me to make the team and fans happy."

Personal kudos was afforded to Bramall, but he was quick to share the bouquets around, something that the Millers must do a lot more of if they are to salvage their season.

It was a day when the likes of midfielder-turned-centre half Hakeem Odoffin stepped up to the plate in outstanding fashion in an unaccustomed role.

Senior defender Sean Morrison showed all his experience as Boro laid siege late on, while loanee Sebastian Revan, operating as a makeshift left-sided centre-half, had an afternoon he shouldn’t forget either.

On Friday night against another play-off chasing side in Sunderland, the trio must do so again with defenders Lee Peltier, Grant Hall, Cameron Humphreys and Tyler Blackett all still sidelined.

Bramall remarked: "You saw what it meant to the lads, in the last 15 especially. Mozza and Haks, even Seb.

"He’s so young and has played right-back, left centre half, left back, left wing, left wing back.

"He’s come along really well and Haks and Mozza don’t get enough credit. I know we haven’t got the results, but those lads have been unbelievable for us. “We need to dig in deep and go again."