Crewe 3 Rotherham United 3: Frecklington to the rescue as determined Millers strike back

Evans used three of his new signings, Richard Brindley and David Worrall in the starting line-up, with Matthew Tubbs replacing the latter.

But it was Lee Frecklington who struck in stoppage time to earn a point in front of 1,300 travelling supporters.

The noisy away following was stunned into silence when the Millers went behind in only the second minute to a deflected goal.

Debutant Anthony Grant fired the hosts ahead from 25 yards off the challenging Worrall.

Five minutes later, Rotherham really should have been level. Alex Revell won his header, Ben Pringle lifted the ball beyond the defence but Frecklington, on his own, somehow put his shot wide from 12 yards.

Worse followed in the next minute when Rotherham went two down but they then pulled one back straightaway, making it three goals in the opening 10 minutes of the new season.

Crewe broke from deep and a long ball cleared Claude Davis. Jay Leitch-Smith got almost to the line, cut the ball back low and Max Clayton got in front of Craig Morgan at the near post to turn the ball in.

Rotherham replied when Kari Arnason’s long throw was headed out and dropped towards Frecklington, whose volley from 22 yards went low past Alan Martin, possibly with the aid of a slight deflection.

Just as they had made a bad start to the first half so the Millers did in the second, conceding in the second minute. Ryan Colclough went at Brindley inside the area and had actually flicked the ball too far when he was tripped by the Millers right-back. Harry Davis struck home the spot kick. It was a grievous blow for Evans’s side.

Evans reshuffled his side and formation and Pringle’s angled 15-yarder gave the Millers hope with six minutes remaining before Frecklington’s volley into the top corner gave them a share of the spoils.

“Our defending wasn’t good at times but we’ve come away from home and dominated for large spells,” said Evans.

“A lot of people in the country will say we’ve got a last-minute equaliser, but I think if we’d have left here with nothing it would have been a travesty.

“There’s been a lot of positives today. We looked like we could score every time we went forward.

“We’ve got a lot of good characters who reacted well as they did last season.”

Evans added: “If we’re behind we are going to attack and we’ve done that with some quality today.”

Crewe Alexandra: Martin, Tootle, Mellor, Ray, Colclough, Davis, Osman, Max Clayton (Oliver 89), Leitch-Smith (Aneke 69), Grant, Moore (Turton 89). Unused substitutes: Stephen Phillips, Ellis, West, Audel.

Rotherham United: Shearer, Brindley, Skarz, Frecklington, Arnason, Davis (Agard 49), Worrall (Tubbs 50), Pringle, Revell, Morgan, O’Connor. Unused substitutes: Bradley, Milsom, Noble, Collin, Tidser.

Referee: S Duncan (Newcastle).

Man of the match: Lee Frecklington.