Rotherham United 2 Wycombe 3: Madcap finish and goalkeeping errors at both ends, but Millers pay price for switch-off against late specialists

Namely, Wrexham - in the sort of position that many observers envisaged Rotherham to be in before a ball was kicked last August.

Truth be told, Steve Evans’s side have never been anywhere near the play-offs this season, let alone the automatic promotion picture.

Marooned in mid-table in mid-March, the Millers’ competitive fires are pretty much out in 2024-25, certainly in regards to top-six interest, while their buffer over the relegation zone should at least preclude any late-season drama, looking the other way.

The home sections were very sparsely populated, a barometer of forgettable events this season, although the Millers could count on plenty of support from North Wales, with Wrexham desperate for a favour against a Wanderers side who would have leapfrogged them into second spot and moved above them on goal difference with three points in South Yorkshire.

They didn’t get one. In a chaotic finish against a side with a penchant for late goals, the Millers suffered on an evening when both goalkeepers hardly covered themselves in glory.

Five goals arrived in an eventful second half.

After Richard Kone’s 18th goal of the season soon cancelled out Louie Sibley’s opener - after a rick from away keeper Will Norris - in a three-minute window midway through the second half, the true ‘fun’ was reserved for later.

At 1-1, a seemingly winning goal from sub Jonson Clarke-Harris was ruled out rightly for handball, despite home protests, and Wycombe rubbed salt in wounds by taking a 90th-minute lead when Sonny Bradley cashed in on poor keeping from Dillon Phillips from Luke Leahy’s corner to head home.

Gideon Kodua sealed it in the second minute of stoppage-time but there was still time for Clarke-Harris to pull one back from the spot after Josh Kayode was fouled by Hull City loanee Xavier Simons.

Thrills and spills in the second half, but a third home defeat in five now for the Millers, as Wycombe’s number of goals in the final quarter of games this season extended to 18, including many towards the death.

There was nothing wrong with the industry on show from those in red and white jerseys in the first half, but - as has often been the way in too many matches to mention in 2024-25 - the attacking patterns and quality count were found wanting, more often than not.

The Millers’ most convincing moment arrived in a decent spell either side of the half-hour mark and it saw them go close. You wanted to see so much more of it, but it was in relative isolation.

A fine sweeping crossfield ball from Rotherham's Cam Humphreys found Sam Nombe. He found half a yard and whipped in a dangerous cross from the right.

Shaun McWilliams, in the ‘ten’ role, arrived right on cue. Unfortunately, the cross took a slight nick off a Wycombe defender at the last moment to put him off and the chance went wide.

McWilliams had also headed an early opportunity off target.

Goalmouth incident was very limited in truth, that came later. Speaking of mouth, the trademark bellows of Evans towards his players could be heard amid the quiet for much of the opening 45 minutes.

Wycombe’s best chance should have resulted in an opener in the first quarter when a pinpoint pass from Simons - bright in the first period - picked out the unmarked Josh Low.

With the goal at his mercy, he lobbed over Dillon Phillips in a let-off for United - he really should have found the back of the net, but got defender-giddy.

On the same subject of defenders, the hosts lost returning centre-half Zak Jules early in the piece, in what looked like a recurrence of hamstring trouble, with Humphreys dropping back into the back four and Sibley coming on.

While creating very little, some of Wycombe's passing in midfield was tidy enough at times. You fancied if someone would conjure something game-breaking from open play, then it would most likely be them.

A fair delay for injury treatment for Wanderers keeper Norris, when the injury issue looked slight, added to home fans’ chagrin on the resumption, intensified when Sonny Bradley - one of three lumbering visiting centre-backs here to do a job - was booked for a heavy challenge on Nombe.

Then, the huge home chance.

Wycombe’s backline failed to cut out James' routine pass and Wilks was in front of goal, in a central position. His low shot agonisingly struck the inside of the post before rolling to safety.

Rotherham’s start to the second half was better than their high-flying visitors, which was at least something.

Wanderers were slow out of the blocks and there were signs of the home punters warming to what the hosts were doing and crucially getting involved.

They were on their feet not long after.

Probing play by Joe Powell and Nombe found Sibley at the far post. His shot was meekly parried by Norris before bouncing off the underside of the bar and over the line in a lamentable moment for the Chairboys keeper.

Unfortunately, the goal had the effect of waking Wanderers up and they quickly levelled.

The Millers’ defensive mask fatally slipped for the first time with Kone getting in between the hitherto impressive Odoffin and Humphreys and heading powerfully home.

And then it all began..

Rotherham United: Phillips; Rafferty, Odoffin, Jules (Sibley 17), James; Mpanzu, Humphreys, Powell; McWilliams (Clarke-Harris 78); Wilks (Kayode 84), Nombe. Substitutes unused: Dawson, Kelly, Hugill, Holmes.

Wycombe Wanderers: Norris; Low (Kodua 70), Bradley, Taylor; Grimmer, Humphreys, Simons, Leahy; Reach, Scowen (McCleary 70); Kone (Vokes 94). Substitutes unused: Ravizzoli, Bakinson, Berry, Onyedinma.

Referee: S Mather (Lancs).