Southampton 1-1 Rotherham: Jordan Hugill earns late for Millers

Report and free match highlights from Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Southampton and Rotherham at St Mary's on Saturday | Jordan Hugill nicks late point for Millers.

Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Southampton and Rotherham Utd.

Jordan Hugill smashed and grabbed struggling Rotherham to their first away point of the season with a 1-1 draw at Southampton.

Stuart Armstong had put Saints into an early lead, but Hugill came off the bench to spectacularly lob Gavin Bazunu and end the Millers' five pointless away trips this season.

Saints had been revitalised by two wins in a week and put in a blitzkrieg of attacking intent as they bombarded the Rotherham goal with 12 first-half shots.

For the second home match in a row, it took just two minutes for Southampton to take the lead as Armstrong followed up after Che Adams had hit a post to tap in from a yard.

It was the Scotland midfielder's second goal of the week, but it was in stark contrast to the rocketed free-kick he bagged against Stoke on Tuesday night.

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Kamaldeen Sulemana gave Dexter Lembikisa a torrid time in the early stages. Having easily beaten the defender, the winger forced Viktor Johansson into a fine save before the Ghanaian cut back to Adam Armstrong to scuff a goal-bound shot.

The hosts thought they had doubled their advantage in the 16th minute after Adam Armstrong had skilfully backheeled in Kyle Walker-Peters' cross - only for the offside flag to keep the score 1-0.

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Millers manager Matty Taylor is under pressure following just one win so far this season and attempted to find a foothold in the match by hooking Fred Onyedinma after 30 minutes and switching to a back three.

Adams forced another good save out of Johansson from a header before the striker attempted an acrobatic shot, but was blocked by Lee Peltier.

A medical emergency at the end of the first half in the home end did not immediately stop play, but delayed the beginning of the second half by almost 15 minutes.

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Saints monopolised possession again after the interval but failed to continue the blizzard of shots - with Jan Bednarek's header a rare test for Johansson.

Johansson was forced into his best save of the match with 20 minutes to go, when a well-worked Saints move saw the keeper keep out Will Smallbone's shot from point-blank range.

The home side's failure to take their chances came back to haunt them in the 74th minute as Hugill produced a stunner for his third goal of the season.

The second-half substitute watched a loose defensive header bounce before carefully lifting over a stranded Gavin Bazunu. It was the Millers' first shot on target and just their second in total.

They came close to a second goal five minutes later as Oliver Rathbone scampered off the left to force a save out of Bazunu.

A low near post save denied Carlos Alcaraz and Jan Bednarek was thwarted on the line as Saints failed to find a winner despite having 80 per cent of possession.

The managers

Southampton's Russell Martin:

"It was a really good performance. Anyone who came today would say we deserved to win. We should have been out of sight before Rotherham scored. It's just really frustrating. We were so good in the first half, we should have been 3-0 up and just paid for a lack of ruthlessness really. A guy at the end was booing and going absolutely crazy, I understand his frustration, but you've just watched such a dominant performance.

"I'm as frustrated as you are that we haven't won, but I'm not sure the players deserved the vitriol. So I had a word with him. Hopefully most people go away knowing they've watched a performance where we have been completely dominant. I know this game is very outcome-focused, if you're a supporter that's the one thing that matters. But if we play like that and are that dominant, the difference is a fine line.

"It's not a big deal, everyone is angry, but I didn't think the players deserved that at that moment. And I'm feeling the same way as he is because I can't believe we haven't won the game. I understand the frustration and anger, but we have come through a tough period and had a good week and we have a chance when we come back to really progress. This result and performance will be a big learning for us. You play this game 100 times and you win 98 and 99 times. So we have to use this as fuel."

Rotherham's Matt Taylor:

"It was much needed (the point). It didn't look achievable at the start of the first half. We somehow managed to stay in the game in that first half, it was difficult and we rode our luck at times, and had to give ourselves a chance in the second half - and we did that. It still needs a moment of quality from the players or a moment of skill, whether that be our goalkeeper, last-ditch defending or the goal.

"I hope (it can change our season). When you come to Southampton, you have to sacrifice not having the ball for a little bit. We were so low after Wednesday night so full credit to the team for getting through today - and I include myself in that. There was a point in the first half where you could hear the end wavering. Not just in terms of my position, but in the belief of what we are trying to do. Players believe in success and we had a bit more success in the second half."

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