Rotherham United 1 Swindon Town 2: Di Canio delighted as Scott’s Millers leave it too late to sparkle

Rotherham chief Andy Scott was less happy than his counterpart, complaining: “If you don’t perform for 90 minutes against good sides you don’t deserve anything.”

Two first-half goals from winger Matt Ritchie – one deflected past Rhys Taylor – helped Swindon maintain their challenge for the title and left Rotherham still adrift of the play-off places.

Alex Revell, who had headed narowly wide in the first half, gave the Millers hope by heading in a cross from Chris Holroyd but, although Lewis Grabban hit the post with 17 minutes left, it was not enough.

“You’ve got to have some heart and desire to go and take it to the opposition from the start,” added Scott. “We had a great opportunity, we’d done a lot of work on Swindon. We watched them on Tuesday and they played exactly how I knew they were going to play – people getting behind the ball, and going on the counter attack.

“We knew we had to attack down the wings, where there would be space for our full-backs to drive into but we did not do it in the first half.”

Di Canio, banned from the touchline for going on the pitch to celebrate a late winner at Northampton recently, added: “It was a fantastic win – to play 40 minutes under pressure wasn’t easy but this is the way to challenge for the title.”

The Millers squad included central defender Richard Naylor, who has signed until the end of the season. The former Leeds player, 34, was released by Doncaster Rovers this month but did not get called from the bench.

Rotherham United: Rhys Taylor, Tonge, Raynes, Mullins, Wood, Grabban, Schofield, Ja Taylor, Evans (Williams 56), Revell, Holroyd. Unused substitutes:: Warrington, Harrison, Bradley, Naylor.

Swindon Town: Foderingham, Caddis, Flint, Devera, Kennedy (Cibocchi 77), Ritchie, Ferry, Risser (Jo Smith 85), De Vita, Bodin (Murray 67), Benson. Unused substitutes: Connell, Louis Thompson.

Referee: A D’Urso (Essex).

Man of the match: Matt Ritchie.