Sunderland had to battle back to earn a 1-1 draw at Championship strugglers Rotherham.
Two second-half goals ensured a point for both sides with Jack Clarke getting a deflected leveller for the visitors after Sam Clucas put the Millers ahead.
Rotherham remained bottom despite picking up four points from their two post-Christmas matches, while Sunderland dropped out of the top six.
It was a quiet opening 15 minutes but the game almost came to life when Dan Neil took aim from distance and saw his effort whistle just wide of target.
Rotherham almost capitalised on a loose ball from Jobe Bellingham in midfield and Jordan Hugill was able to send Sam Nombe clear on goal. The Millers’ record signing’s effort was kept out by the onrushing Anthony Patterson.
From the resulting corner, a flicked effort from Hakeem Odoffin was touched over the top by Patterson.
Patterson again came to Sunderland’s rescue as he got down low to tip Nombe’s bending effort behind.
Again the corner caused panic in the Black Cats box and the visitors would have been relieved to see the ball scrambled over the top after Jamie Lindsay had tried a backheel.
Rotherham were certainly creating the better chances with only a wayward effort from Clarke in response from Michael Beale’s side.
Odoffin was the next to come close for the home side as he flicked a header goalwards but into Patterson’s grasp.
Rotherham got the opener in the 48th minute when Sam Clucas volleyed in superbly from the edge of the box after running onto Pierre Ekwah’s cleared header.
Sunderland responded with Clarke leading another attack. He found Trai Hume but his effort was easily dealt with by Rotherham goalkeeper Viktor Johansson.
Luke O’Nien then tried a long-range effort which flew just wide of Johansson’s goal.
The visitors started to enjoy more possession and finally got on level terms with 17 minutes left.
It came when Alex Pritchard’s cross was only cleared as far as Clarke and his effort took a deflection to loop over Johansson and in.
Sunderland were pushing for all three points in the final 10 minutes. A vicious volley from O’Nien was blocked while a decent chance fell to Dan Ballard but the defender fired wide from the edge of the box.
Six minutes of added time gave both sides a chance to grab a winner.
Rotherham substitute Georgie Kelly fired into the stand when off balance down the left.
Sunderland threatened when Pritchard found Timothee Pembele with a cross from the left but his header was gathered at the second attempt by Johansson.
The Millers could have nicked it right at the end but Tom Eaves headed Cafu’s cross off target.
Sunderland go top of Championship despite late draw with Millwall
Sunderland leapfrogged Sheffield United back to the top of the Championship table after their 1-1 draw with Millwall on Saturday.
Aaron Connelly had given Sunderland the lead just 10 minutes in, benefitting from a clearance to beat Lukas Jensen on the volley and claiming his first goal for the club before the players were taken off the field for half an hour due to two medical emergencies in the crowd.
Millwall were a different side when they came back out onto the pitch, with Anthony Patterson having to pull off a string of fine saves to preserve Sunderland's lead.
The hosts eventually got a deserved goal in the 93rd minute though, as Femi Azeez stabbed home Aidomo Emakhi's cross for his first Millwall goal.
It is a fourth consecutive draw for Sunderland, who sit above Sheffield United on goal difference, while Millwall stay eighth.
Elsewhere, Middlesbrough moved back into the playoff places with a thumping 6-2 victory over Oxford United.
A hat-trick from Emmanuel Latte Lath, a double from Finn Azaz and another from substitute Tommy Conway saw Boro score six goals in an away league game for the first time in 64 years.
Greg Leigh had given the hosts a surprise lead, and though Dane Scarlett halved the deficit with his second-half goal to make it 4-2, they could not mount a comeback, leaving them 18th in the table, while Middlesbrough jumped up to fifth.
Meanwhile, Luton Town eased some of the pressure on manager Rob Edwards with their 1-0 win over struggling Hull City to move out of the drop zone.
Mark McGuiness scored the only goal of the match in the 33rd minute, brilliantly volleying his maiden Hatters goal in to help Luton move up to 16th.
Hull could not find a winner, despite Joao Pedro hitting the post in the first half, and they dropped into the relegation zone as their winless run extended to eight matches.
Norwich City are on a run of seven games without a win after playing out an entertaining 2-2 draw with West Brom.
Emiliano Marcondes and an own goal from Torbjorn Heggem gave Norwich the lead after Mason Holgate's early opener, but Josh Maja's 10th goal of the campaign cancelled out their lead just before half-time to earn them a point.
Sheffield United go top of Championship with draw despite Ahmedhodzic red
Sheffield United went top of the Championship following their 2-2 draw away to Coventry City despite twice surrendering the lead.
Chris Wilder's side are one point ahead of second-placed Sunderland ahead of Saturday's other matches although, after Tyrese Campbell put them one up after 13 minutes, they would have been hoping for a bigger lead.
Coventry forward Norman Bassette equalised nine minutes later, but Jesurun Rak-Sakyi had the visitors back in front on 34 minutes, having been set up by former Coventry man Gustavo Hamer.
Then came the game-defining incident, with Anel Ahmedhodzic sent off in the 44th minute after grabbing Bassette by his neck and throwing him to the ground. Tempers flared into half-time, but it was the home side who piled on the pressure in the second half.
The managerless Sky Blues got their reward 10 minutes from time through Bobby Thomas, meaning that they have now come back from losing positions to draw in back-to-back matches. They sit 16th in the table.
Elsewhere, Burnley went third after their second straight 1-0 victory as they beat Bristol City on the road. Jaidon Anthony scored the only goal of the game, although the home side created plenty of pressure and saw a penalty claim denied in the second half.
Scott Parker's side, nevertheless, kept their fourth clean sheet in five to get themselves back in the hunt for the top two.
Sheffield Wednesday and Cardiff City shared the points in a 1-1 draw at Hillsborough that does neither side many favours in their aim to climb clear of the relegation scrap.
Both goals came within two first-half minutes, with Ollie Tanner getting the visitors ahead from a Callum Robinson rebound in the 34th minute. The lead didn't last long though, with Di'Shon Bernard on hand to scramble home and restore parity almost straight away.
The result leaves Wednesday in 14th, four points above the bottom three, while Cardiff are 19th and just a point above third-bottom Luton Town.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
