Rotherham United find powerful ally in League One play-off push to put rivals on notice

Doncaster Rovers are a recent example of where it can take a team, in their case from 22nd to fifth in the blink of an eye.

Rovers ultimately fell short in the League Two play-offs but their late-season charge was a reminder of what is possible when belief and momentum join forces.

Down the road in South Yorkshire, Rotherham United are beginning to stir after a forgettable first half of the 2024-25 League One campaign.

A Boxing Day home loss to Wigan Athletic left the Millers four points above the relegation zone and a long way off the promotion challenge Steve Evans promised when he returned to the New York Stadium last April.

But a draw against high-flying Stockport County gave Rotherham the confidence to go on a six-game unbeaten run that has breathed life into their season and put the teams in and around the play-offs on notice.

Clear daylight remains between Evans' side and the top six but a club with four League One promotions in recent memory should not be discounted after brushing aside Charlton Athletic 4-2 on Saturday.

"We understand there's a lot of making up to do from a poor start to the season," said Evans, who originally took Championship football to the New York Stadium after overseeing back-to-back promotions between 2012 and 2014.

"But I think we've taken ourselves into a position where we can look at the top half – we're looking top 10, to be honest.

"If we can get into the top 10 and be five or six points off the play-offs as we go into the early part of February, some managers might not be able to handle it because they've never had promotions or won anything."

A manager who has been there and done it, Evans would relish the chance to turn up the heat on Rotherham's rivals.

The Millers are fresh from negotiating a challenging run of fixtures against teams in the top half of the table.

Not only that, Evans' men have come through the other side in credit after taking 11 points from a possible 15.

Rotherham have booked a place in the quarter-finals of the Football League Trophy to boot.

"I've always maintained that I believe," added Evans. "The minute I don't believe, I may as well just say to (chairman) Tony Stewart that someone else can take the job.

"I have to believe. Even in the dark days when everyone was doubting in the dressing room, I've had to maintain that belief.

"I've also had to have a realism and say what we were producing earlier in the season was far short of what the standard should be at this football club.

"I was very, very fortunate at one stage that Tony Stewart and his son Richard stood shoulder to shoulder with me and kept believing like I did – but they weren't short of telling me that it had to turn.

"We've had a run of games where we've played the top, top boys and our performances have spoken for themselves."

Evans claimed Charlton were fortunate to avoid a "seven or eight-goal" defeat after watching his side dominate the Addicks – and he wasn't wrong.

Nathan Jones' team had not lost in the league since early December but they were the architects of their own downfall at the New York Stadium.

The first half was a tale of Charlton's kamikaze defending and Rotherham's clinical finishing.

The Millers took the first chance that came their way after the visitors failed to deal with Joe Powell's cross from the left.

The ball deflected into the path of Andre Green and he tucked home from close range with the help of the right-hand post.

Green quickly turned provider to put Rotherham 2-0 up inside 15 minutes, capitalising on a mistake by Lloyd Jones to get in behind the Charlton defence and feed Alex MacDonald who finished with a shot across Ashley Maynard-Brewer.

Mallik Wilks was denied by a goal-line clearance after rounding the keeper before the Addicks belatedly showed signs of life.

Miles Leaburn halved the deficit on the stroke of half-time with a tidy finish from a low cross – but the hosts had the final word of the first period.

Charlton failed to deal with a free-kick into the box and Zak Jules took full advantage with a looping header at the second attempt.

Three became four in the early stages of the second half when Wilks produced a delightful first-time lob over the onrushing Maynard-Brewer after being played through by Green.

Rotherham peppered the Charlton goal in the closing stages but the visitors scored a consolation on the break through Matty Godden to deny Evans' side the chance to replace them in the top half.

With Evans at the helm and bottom two Burton Albion and Cambridge United up next, there is every chance that will be a minor blip rather than a momentum killer.