Video - Rotherham United hero Lee Frecklington quick to hail the '˜Warnock factor'

The rejuvenated South Yorkshire outfit find themselves just one point behind fourth-bottom MK Dons following Tuesday night’s last-gasp victory over second-placed Middlesbrough, when Warnock became the first Millers manager to preside over three consecutive second-tier wins since Ronnie Moore in December, 2003.

It is proving to be some early-Spring turnaround at the AESSEAL New York Stadium for the Millers, who were six points from safety ahead of the home game with Brentford on February 27, with Frecklington, who scored the dramatic late winner against Boro, admitting that the ‘Warnock factor’ has been pivotal in the club’s renaissance.

On the impact of the 67-year-old, who has stated that keeping Rotherham up would be his biggest achievement in football by “an absolute mile”, Frecklington said: “The gaffer deserves a lot of credit.

“No-one expected these three results and a lot of it is down to him and he’s got the lads working hard and believing and the results are showing that.

“All we can do is look after our performances and if we can keep picking up results, then we are doing the right thing.

“It (Tuesday) was an important result, I am not going to lie. We needed that win and it lifts us closer to getting out of the relegation zone.

“In this league, anyone can beat anyone and that is what the gaffer has helped instil. There’s a lot of confidence and belief that if we do what we do well, we will give anyone a tough game and I think the last three results have proved that.”

Asked for the secret, he added: “It’s hard work and just getting back to basics. We are making the game ugly at times and not pretty to watch.

“But we are scrapping for our lives and if we turn any game into a fight, we will give anyone a game.”

Victory over Boro was the Millers’ second successive high-profile Championship scalp following their weekend derby victory at Sheffield Wednesday, with the club having shown a previous penchant for upsetting promotion-chasers this term, having also beaten Brighton and Hull City.

Rotherham face another side with designs upon the Premier League this weekend in the shape of visiting Derby County and Frecklington insists there should be no let-up from the Millers, who are bidding for a quartet of consecutive wins at this level for the first time since February, 1982.

He added: “We have got to make it four out of four on Saturday and that’s all we can do.

“We need to try and win every game if we want to get out of this fight at the bottom. We need to keep doing it.

“It’s been a massive turnaround. Winning games makes it a happier changing room and it is amazing what a positive result can do and now we have had three on the bounce, I think it is the happiest that it has been for a long time.

“The gaffer has come in and changed ideas and tactics. Together with the positive results, they have combined to create a good changing room.”

Frecklington says that the Millers’ victory over Boro was every bit as sweet as Saturday’s derby success at Hillsborough, while being candid enough to accept that the hosts rode their luck at times in a first half in which the dominant Teessiders spurned several glaring chances.

The defeat, which followed a dispiriting second-half, has led to something resembling an inquest among anxious Boro supporters, with the club’s poor away form against sides in relegation trouble starting to seriously bedevil their top-two hopes – with a Sunday trip to Charlton Athletic next up.

Boro head coach Aitor Karanka felt that the Millers’ overwhelming desire helped secure them a priceless victory on Tuesday night, with the result following on from lame away performances at two other sides fighting for their Championship lives in MK Dons and Bristol City.

But Frecklington admits that he still expects Boro to go up, which for him ensured that Tuesday’s result carried extra weight.

The 30-year-old, in impressive form once again for the Millers following his return from injury, added: “We are obviously delighted as it’s a massive result for us in the grand scheme of things.

“They are a quality side all over the pitch and we knew how difficult it was going to be.

“The gaffer said that the longer we were in the game, the more we were going to come onto it later on and, thankfully, we managed to stay in the game at half-time.

“We rode our luck at times and they hit the post and missed a few good chances. But we are getting the rub of the green at the minute and that comes from hard work.

“We were delighted to come in at 0-0 at half-time and in the second half, we just grew. it was a lot better and, thankfully, we got that chance.

“I personally think Middlesbrough are the best team in this league. I have watched them a few times this season and squad wise, they are the best and we are really delighted with the victory.

“I do think they play the best football and I still fancy them to go up.”