Millers frustrated as Mansell grabs winner

The Millers dominated but fell to Lee Mansell’s first-half header as the visitors jumped into second spot in the table.

The captain converted Kevin Nicholson’s cross on 25 minutes to open the scoring but after that it was all one-way traffic.

Ben Pringle snatched at a decent chance and Alex Revell slipped an effort inches wide of the angle of post and bar.

Gareth Evans forced goalkeeper Robert Olejnik to parry, with no home player on hand to convert the loose ball, and the visitors had another let-off when Revell shook the crossbar with an angled shot.

Appreciating the efforts, the Don Valley faithful clapped their team off at half-time and were roused again at the start of the second half when Evans’s close-range shot brought a fine full-stretch save from Olejnik.

The visitors were increasingly happy to sit on their lead as the match wore on and their goalkeeper was kept busy saving Evans’s header and a volley from top scorer Lewis Grabban.

Substitute Ryan Jarvis cannoned a shot against the legs of home goalkeeper Rhys Taylor in a rare foray forward from the visitors but the action remained mainly in their own half, with Michel Raynes having a shot blocked on the line.

However, they went close to doubling their advantage late on when Jarvis hit the bar from close range and Taiwo Atieno put a header wide.

Rotherham United: R Taylor, Bradley, Raynes (Cresswell 85), Mullins, Wood, Pringle, J Taylor, Harrison (Schofield 70), Evans, Revell, Grabban. Unused substitutes: Warrington, Tonge, Cadogan.

Torquay: Olejnik, Oastler, Saah, Ellis, Nicholson (Rowe-Turner 86), Lathrope, Morris, O’Kane, Mansell, Stevens (Jarvis 65), Howe (Atieno 79). Unused substitutes: Rice,MacDonald.

Referee: G Sutton (Lincolnshire).