Video: Survival for Rotherham is my biggest achievement in football – Evans

Second-half goals in the space of six minutes from Matt Derbyshire and Lee Frecklington put the Millers 2-0 up and while a late strike from former Huddersfield Town midfielder Oliver Norwood ensured an anxious finale in front of 11,123 fans, it was the Millers’ night.

The result relegated Millwall and Wigan Athletic and represented the sweetest of developments for everyone connected with the Millers, who were docked three points for fielding an ineligible player last Friday.

The club have to decide by Friday whether to lodge an appeal.

The final whistle was a prelude to a pitch invasion from ecstatic Millers fans, with Evans, chairman Tony Stewart and delighted players later appearing on the balcony of the directors box to celebrate the club’s safety with a game to spare.

Evans said: “When you get points taken away from your dressing room, it’s a bombshell really.

“We had to show resolve, character and spirit and we’ve done that.

“We should have beaten Fulham and Norwich on Saturday, but we have got over the line.

“They can take our points, but they cannot take our fighting spirit and desire and passion to stay in what is a wonderful competition.

“I think if there had been anything but another (Rotherham) win, it would have been a travesty.

“I think it is my biggest achievement yet.

“I am not questioning the integrity of the (deduction) decision; I think that has to come and the reasons. But from a dressing room perspective, we just saw three points being taken off us.

“If you take everything in context and I have won a lot of promotions and been at Wembley in play-offs, I think individually and what was at stake, that was the biggest result, if I am being honest.”