Rotherham United 1 Stevenage Borough 1: Millers chief Moore is left with defensive headache

His immediate problem is finding some central defensive cover following injury to Nick Fenton on Saturday which, if a scan confirms the worst today, could rule him out for at least a couple of months.

Allied to that is the fact that ever-present Exodus Geohaghon's third and final loan spell runs out at the end of the month and he will have to return to Peterborough.

Captain Ryan Cressswell will return against Accrington Stanley on Saturday, having been deemed not fully focussed on a return against Stevenage following the recent death of his grandfather, "my massive inspiration and biggest supporter throughout my career."

Fenton had proved more than an able deputy in the previous two games but he went down in the 72nd minute after clattering a defender and having a free-kick given against him as he headed home from a corner at the far post.

Manager Moore explained: "He said he felt his calf pop and it looks like it will be a bad one. Normally, when they say they hear a pop it's not a good sign. He came down on it and felt it go."

And regarding Cressswell's ommission from the squad, he added: "He did say he was all right but I had seen him training and knew he wasn't. The heart was willing but the game passed him by in training and I could not take a chance."

Moore's biggest concern, though, is finding a central midfield player who can put his foot on the ball and dictate a game – someone like young Josh Walker, whom he had on loan from Middlesbrough last season.

All inquiries have drawn a blank but when he does make a signing, warned Moore, Mark Bradley, Jason Taylor and Danny Harrison are likely to be fighting for the one remaining place.

Disappointed to be drawn at home to Huddersfield in the JP Trophy Northern quarter-final as he claimed they are the best side left in the competition, he added: "The most important thing for us is to start picking up league points with wins. It's all right being undefeated in seven but you're sometimes better winning one and losing one. The only thing a run gives you is inner strength at not losing games."

The Millers were a shade fortunate to take a point on Saturday, Andy Warrington again being forced into more saves at home than the manager felt he should be asked to.

Rotherham were dreadful in the first 45 minutes but a brave header in the centre circle by Tom Pope, who was flattened in the process, allowed Adam Le Fondre to play the ball down the inside right channel, where Nicky Law took the ball into the area before driving a shot into the rood of the net in the third minute of stoppage time.

Stevenage, who saw Stacy Long waste a glaring early opportunity, got their reward eight minutes from time as David Bridges, whose far post effort had been blocked by Tom Newey, rolled the ball across for John Mousinho to stroke beyond Warrington. They could have won it but Chris Holroyd's close-range strike was ruled out for off-side.

Rotherham United: Warrington; Mullins, Geoghaghon, Fenton (Holden 75), Newey; Law, Bradley (Harrison 85), Taylor, Ellison; Pope (Taylor 85), Warne. Unused substitutes: Green, Warne, Marshall, Annerson.

Stevenage Borough: Day, Henry, Ashton, Roberts; Wilson (Odubade 63), Bostwick, Mousinho, Winn; Long (Bridges 75); Holroyd. Unused substitutes: Bayes, Charles, Foster, Griffin, Vincenti.

Referee: G D Scott (Oxfordshire).

Man of the match: Andy Warrington.