Rotherham United 1 Middlesbrough 0: Millers show all their tigerish qualities to end their yo-yo era at last

So much went for and against them during Monday's 1-0 win over Middlesbrough, it is hard to say if they were lucky or not to win, but at the end of a 46-game season, you finish where you deserve to, and the Millers are well worthy of second-tier football next season.

They were helped by a six-point deduction for Reading (and three for Wigan Athletic) but they have 49 points with power to add at already-relegated Wigan, and that is usually a tally which guarantees safety.

It ended six years of yo-yoing between the second and third tiers by the Millers. Remarkably, they can enjoy their trip to Lancashire.

That is a brilliant achievement by Matt Taylor, who succeeded long-serving manager Paul Warne in October and has been able to put his own stamp on the squad without losing what was special about what he inherited.

Rotherham remain plucky paupers in a division with plenty of aristocrats, so they play to their strengths and do their best to cover up their weaknesses.

They allowed Boro to have 77 per cent of the ball, even though the Teessiders were a man light for half the game, yet Viktor Johansson only had to make more saves from Rotherham players.

That Boro were down to 10 men in the first place was harsh, Anfernee Dijksteel coming out the wrong side of a very tight yellow/red card call. But they can consider themselves lucky not to have had Darragh Lenihan sent off for a second-half foul on Georgie Kelly when there was no disputing that he was the last man.

Likewise, Rotherham suffered the misfortune of losing both their wingers to injury the opening 45 minutes but then Boro had to do without their emergency centre-back Jonny Howson before the game even kicked off, injured in the warm-up. They must hope it is something he can recover from in time for the play-offs – their next game of consequence.

But Rotherham defended with all the tigerish hunger that was so familiar under Warne, Jamie Lindsay leading the way in midfield. Ben Wiles came on to do a job as an emergency right-winger and was reduced to high-speed limping at the end with the Millers having only used four of their substitutes but all three of their "windows" to make them in.

The winning goal came from the right boot of Hakeem Odoffin, a player Taylor identified as under-used under the previous regime and gave him his opportunity.

How the midfielder took it on D-day, smashing in a shot from distance.

it came after 48 minutes, setting up 46 of backs-to-the-wall, cling-on-for-dear-life football. The Millers know no other way.

Twice late on, Johansson made saves from Rotherham players – Richard Wood in the 79th minute and more challengingly Lindsay in the 90th - but they held out for a clean sheet to a soundtrack of "We are staying up" which only really took hold well into stoppage-time. It was not a day to go off early on that front.

With Hayden Hackney and Chuba Akpom back in the side after being rested against Luton Town, Boro looked more like the team which has had such a good season since Michael Carrick took the reins, at least in the build up, where Hackney's passing in particular was outstanding. When it came to finding a cutting edge, they were sadly lacking.

More sharpness will be needed in the play-offs but the edge those games guarantee will hopefully see to that..

Knowing they could wrap up Championship safety with a game to play, the Millers gave as good as they got, not trying to match Boro's passing game but playing when they could and going direct when they could not.

Middlesbrough suffered an injury before the game even started, Howson pulled out in the warm-up and replaced by Paddy McNair.

The Teessiders could have taken the lead after eight minutes, Wood hesitating over a lovely through-ball on most likely his final home game for the club and allowing Riley McGree to dink the ball over Johnasson but not with enough on it to stop Wood getting back to clear off the line.

There were only 15 minutes gone went Hackney tripped Chiedozie Ogbene. The midfileder was booked but it was much more costly for the Millers, their winger clutching his hamstring before he even hit the turf.

Shane Ferguson would go off too, pressing Wiles into service as a right winger.

At that stage the game was full of nearly moments.

Coming off the right wing onto a Hackney pass after the half-hour, Akpom tumbled under a Cohen Bramall tackle without getting a penalty.

Lindsay blocked an Isiah Jones cross in the 45th minute after Dan Barlaser released him.

But with the injuries to Ogbene and Ferguson there was always likely to be plenty of stoppage time and in the sixth minute substitute Tarique Fosu played Jordan Hugill through on the Boro goal. Dijksteel's foul was right on the edge of the area but it was debatable whether Darragh Lenihgan would have got across in time to cover.

Referee Keith Stroud thought not.

Cohen Bramall ballooned the free-kick. The good news for Boro is that the suspension will not drag into the play-offs.

Odoffin's brilliant strike teed up the game of defence v attack but when Lindsay and Wes Harding both thudded into a tackle on McGree at the same time, there was no question Rotherham would be found wanting when it came to desire - as if there ever had been.

Barlaser shot over from distance against his old club and Tommy Smith really should have equalised in the 68th minute but free at the back post, he finished like a right-back.

The fury when no foul was given against Lenihan on Kelly only stoked the atmosphere up further.

When Wood stuck out a boot to Smith's 79th-minute cross it was routine for Johansson but when Lindsay did the same to a Marc Bola delivery, he had to make his most important intervention of the day.

But Rotherham held on.

The yo-yo era is finally over.

Rotherham United: Johansson; Harding, Humphreys, Wood, Bramall; Lindsay, Odoffin (Kelly 71), Rathbone (Hjelde 71); Ogbene (Fosu 18), Hugill, Ferguson (Wiles 40).

Unused substitutes: Hemfrey, Kioso, Quina.

Middlesbrough: Steffen, Dijksteel, McNair, Lenihan, Bola; Barlaser, Hackney (Mowatt 60); Jones, Akpom, McGree (Crooks 80); Archer (Smith 46).

Unused substitutes: Muniz, Bilongo, Roberts, Finch.

Referee: K Stroud (Hampshire).