Rotherham United 2 Reading 1: Sam Nombe's second big goal in a week transforms Millers

Booed off at half-time, the Millers looked nothing like a team who had received a big morale boost at Cambridge United in midweek, rather one that had taken a solitary setback too much to heart.

But if Lewis Wing's free-kick hurt Rotherham more than it should have done, so Nombe's goal-hungry near-post run transformed them more than it might have done. The result was a big 2-1 win for the Millers.

The free-kick former Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Wing converted arguably should not have been given and the quality of it was a notch above League One level. Its affect on the home team was disproportionate.

But Nombe's 50th-minute equaliser dragged them to victory.

If his midweek goal was a model in scruffiness, his next was pretty basic. So was the one Hakeem Odoffin won the game with.

Nothing wrong with that. Sometimes simple is best.

Two crosses brought two goals. It makes you wonder why this narrowly set-up Millers team do not try them more often.

Reece James and Joe Powell had both caused Reading problems when they got high and wide on the left during a positive start to the game by the hosts.

A Powell delivery was headed behind for a corner in the first minute, another from a free-kick was put over by Nombe. Odoffin's header on the run went the wrong side of the far post.

But the mood turned far too much on Wing's free-kick. With so many youngsters in their cobbled-together side the downtrodden Royals had an excuse for letting big moments affect them so much, Rotherham's battle-hardened unit far less so.

Mallik Wilks tracked back and Wing kicked through him trying to shoot. The forward came at him from a bad angle, but hat was the worst you could say about it.

A free-kick in the D was manna to Wing and he curled the ball over Cameron Dawson's five-man wall and inside the unprotected post to put his side 1-0 up after 26 minutes.

The confidence transferred to Reading.

Ben Elliott shot over, as did Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan from a tight angle.

Jonson Clarke-Harris forced a good tip-over but generally his side lacked conviction, the captain's poor pass after being sent down the line by Wilks and Powell's massively overhit free-kick when Rotherham were able to load the area with red shirts prime examples.

The fans voiced their disapproval at half-time.

So they badly needed the shot in the arm Nombe's near post run gave them when he converted Powell's whipped cross.

The delivery for the second goal was very different, looped in by Joe Rafferty from the right. As soon as Odoffin jumped highest – and the giant midfielder already had a headstart – it was a goal, six minutes after the first.

Nombe would have made it three in eight minutes but for David Button's excellent save as his shot from the area curled towards the top corner. Jamie McCart headed at the goalkeeper from a deep Powell free-kick.

Instead Reading sealed their own fate, Ehibhatiomhan barging through the back of Rafferty.

He really ought to have known better. He was on a yellow card and had already seen James booked for delaying the restart when actually what had happened was the ballboy did not return the ball to him quickly enough. Reading manager Ruben Selles would be cautioned for time-wasting when his side were losing.

Time and again Rotherham caught Reading on the counter-attack as they gambled for a winner but badly-timed runs, poor final touches and, the Millers bench seemed convinced (rarely a good guide) an incorrect linesman's flag stopped them.

Substitute Jack Holmes had a shot charged down and was tackled when clean through down the middle.

It meant Dawson had to make a crucial point-blank save from defender Cameron Humphreys in the seventh added minute amidst the sort of classic chaos that only comes when both goalkeepers are in the same area for a set piece.

But it was a win, and that was all that matters. Rotherham have a lot to thank Nombe for at the moment.

Rotherham United: Dawson; Rafferty, Humphreys, McCart, James (Bramall 65); Tiehi (McWilliams 82), Odoffin (MacDonald 88), Powell; Wilks (Holmes 88); Clarke-Harris (Hugill 82), Nombe.

Unused substitutes: Hungbo, Phillips.

Reading: Button; Craig (Dean 90), Mbengue, Bindon, Abrefa (Garcia 28 (Akande 90)); Wing; Campbell (Wareham 72), Elliott (Savage 72), Knibbs, Ehibhatiomhan; Smith.

Unused substitutes: Rowley, Tuma.

Referee: B Toner (Blackburn).