Chiedozie Ogbene the man again as Rotherham United beat Port Vale in Carabao Cup

Oliver Rathbone and substitute Chiedozie Ogbene fired the visitors into a deserved 2-0 interval lead.

But Mal Benning, one of five Vale replacements introduced after 70 minutes, made United sweat with an 80th-minute strike.

The Millers though were good value for their earlier advantage even if it did arrive in bizarre circumstances.

George Kelly’s pressure on the edge of the area panicked defender Tom Pett and keeper Aidan Stone with Stone’s clearance rebounding goalwards off midfielder Rathbone. Nathan Smith chased back, only succeeding in helping the ball into the net.

Stone performed more decisively to keep out a Conor Washington effort as United scented a second goal.

That should have arrived via Georgie Kelly after 18 minutes but the striker failed to convert Washington’s cross from six yards. Game-ending knocks in quick succession to Kioso and Washington brought on Wes Harding and Chiedozie Ogbene sooner than they anticipated. Ogbene doubled Rotherham’s lead with a low shot from 12 yards.

Kelly should have made it 3-0 on the hour but his header was scrambled away by Stone.

That gave Vale hope and Benning pepped up a previously blunt attack with his late strike but the Potteries side couldn’t take the tie to penalties.

Rotherham have been drawn at home against Morecambe in the second round.

Port Vale: Stone, Forrester, Smith (Ojo 70), Jones, Robinson (Massey 70), Pett (McDermott 70), Conlon, Walker, Small (Benning 70) Garrity, Holden (Proctor 70). Unused substitutes: Cass, Hall, Agyakwa.

Rotherham: Vickers, Peltier (Wood 71), Hall (Humphreys 46), McCart, Kioso (Harding 30), Rathbone, Barlaser Lindsay 46), Bramall, High, Washington (Ogbene 37), Kelly. Unused substitutes: Johansson, Wiles, Bola, Ferguson.

Referee: R Madden (England).