Paul Warne encouraged by Rotherham United’s endeavour in draw with Swansea City

How hard his team had to work in their Championship opener shows just how big the step up is for a club that has won promotion from League One three times in the last five seasons, having been relegated three times as well.

Chiedozie Ogbene opened the scoring with a flick header from Wes Harding’s long throw in the 16th minute only for Harry Darling to smash home a 25-yard strike just before half-time.

Both sides had chances to win the game but it was a solid start to life back in the second tier for Rotherham.

Warne said: “They’re a possession-based team, very difficult to get the ball off. We watched all their pre-season games where they played a four at the back, today they kindly played a three and that killed us.

“I thought the lads worked really hard out of possession and I don’t normally come in here and congratulate the crowd but I thought the crowd got it today, they know the quality of the opposition.

“It’s not a League One game where you can throw the kitched sink, you’ve got to work hard to get the ball back.

“S overall I was really pleased.

“We conceded a 30-yard screamer from a £1.5m centre-half, there’s no shame in that, but I thought we limited them to very few chances, although in fairness they did miss a guilt-edged chance (through Michael Obafemi).

“I thought Cohen (Bramall) could have ripped the net off which would have been a grandstand ending but we gave people debuts, all in all I was very pleased.

“But it just goes to show how hard it is to get a point in this league, you have to leave it all out there.”