Rotherham United 1 Preston North End 1: Jordan Hugill and Viktor Johansson find the stardust in battle of the grafters

Preston were the better of the two teams, but did not look the 20 places better they were at kick-off.

The Millers are a very different prospect at the New York Stadium to on their travels and, like Norwich City before them, Preston found out why.

Ultimately, it needed a few moments of brilliance to secure a 1-1 draw but the Millers found them.

Viktor Johansson made the couple of terrific saves Rotherham supporters are well used to, Jordan Hugill an outstanding goal.

Hard work comes as standard for Matt Taylor's side – for all the beauty of Hugill's finish it was the graft preceding it which created the chance – but it is the touches of brilliance on top which will lift them to the levels they aspire to.

At their own level, it is the challenge facing Preston too.

They should be disappointed the excellence which comes as standard with Johansson only had to show itself twice, and that apart the closest Preston came to adding to Liam Lindsay's equaliser was when Tyler Blackett hit his own post.

Sometimes it feels like they have to be provoked into trying to score and a moment of brilliance from Hugill seemed to do that against his old club.

Until then, the Championship leaders had lacked a bit of emphasis in their attacking play, seemingly content to keep Rotherham at bay, and a tactical change by Taylor at half-time pretty much put a lid on it.

It had not made for a particularly absorbing opening half-hour, with Johansson's the only save of note, but going behind provoked Ryan Lowe's side to move through the gears.

Jordan Storey did well to take a Dexter Lembikisa cross off the head of Fred Onyedinma early on and Cameron Humphreys had to head an Alan Browne cross over this opposite crossbar in the 13th minute.

Johansson showed good footwork to get across his goal and keep out Muilutin Osmajic's header from a right-wing cross but the game needed a bit of oomph.

Hugill provided it by winning the ball on Preston's right touchline, carrying it towards goal and releasing a shot which gave Freddie Woodman no chance.

The 36th-minute goal pushed Preston into action and they finished the first half strongly, Lindsay claiming their reward right at the end of it.

Only a couple of minutes after the goal Tyler Blackett had to head off his line when Lindsay got to a Duane Holmes cross, but the defender would not be denied, heading in a corner just as the game was about to head into stoppage time.

When Humphreys' failed to reappear for the second half, his hamstring seemingly twanging from the very final act of the first, the Millers matched Preston's 3-4-2-1 and without ending their threat, calmed down the head of steam they had been building.

A one-two between former Hull City player Robbie Brady and Ledson sliced through them, but the cross could not beat Johansson. When Onyedinma was down in Preston's penalty area, complaining he had been fouled at a Millers corner, the Lilywihites were able to break at speed down the flank he was no wing-back on, but Ali McCann could only head over.

Rotherhams frustration with the referee saw Taylor joined Sam Clucas in the book.

But again Preston – so well organised defensively but often lacking a bit of punch - struggled to work Johansson.

When they did, in the 74th minute, he was up to the task.

The save from Ledson's long-range effort was a good one, the way he jumped to his feet and stopped Osmajic putting the rebound away, a very good one.

Blackett drew a sigh of relief in the 86th minute when his attempt to cut out Osmajic's cross smacked the post.

To have hit the net would have been harsh after some very good defending, matched by Christ Tiehi at full-time as he held Hugill back from continuing his running battle down the tunnel when he did not get the response to the offer of a handshake he expected.

The centre-forward and his team had done their job against a team who lacked his stardust.

Rotherham United: Johansson; Lembikisa, Humphreys (Revan HT), Blackett, Bramall; Clucas (Nombe 73), Tiehi, Rathbone; Green, Hugill (Kelly 90+5), Onyedinma.

Unused substitutes: Eaves, Phillips, Appiah, McGuckin.

Preston North End: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Potts, McCann (Whiteman 70), Ledson, Brady (Millar 70); Holmes (Frokjaer 70), Browne; Osmajic.

Unused substitutes: Cunningham, Bauer, Stewart, Woodburn, Cornell, Whatmough.

Referee: S Allison (Wiltshire).