Plymouth caretaker boss Kevin Nancekivell has called for his side to keep up the good work for the final five games of the season after they picked up a valuable 1-0 Championship victory at Rotherham.

The defeat rubberstamped Rotherham’s return to League One after two seasons in the second tier, while Argyle had been heading towards the trapdoor themselves following a hapless run under former boss Ian Foster.

Nancekivell and Neil Dewsnip replaced him in the hotseat this week and got a much-needed win with Bali Mumba’s first-half strike seeing them move four points above the drop zone.

He said: “I am relieved – it’s been a traumatic week and to come and get three points is massive for us.

“We are really, really pleased. It’s only three points and there is a lot of work to do but we look forward to Tuesday against QPR.

“They are all huge games now. We know what we have got to do, recover and prepare properly and hopefully get a repeat performance. We are all in it together.

“There was a lot on the game. It was a high-pressurised game and when it is, you lose that little bit of quality.

“It’s always nervous at 1-0 and the longer it goes on you get a bit fearful but you can’t be too greedy.”

Mumba’s strike just after the half-hour mark proved decisive. He was picked out by Argyle’s star man Morgan Whittaker at the back post and managed to squeeze his shot beyond Viktor Johansson.

Rotherham then went out with a whimper and never really threatened to get back in the game.

It was the visitors pushing for a goal late in the game and they missed a host of chances with substitute Ben Waine striking the post and then being denied when clean through by Johansson.

Rotherham head coach Leam Richardson, who has only won twice since replacing Matt Taylor in December, said: “That doesn’t represent me. I am not hiding away from anything, I am at the front of it and I take the full blame.

“I also take responsibility for making Rotherham United a better football club. The biggest positive is that we know about it and we know the areas where we need to get better. I have never shied away from a challenge.

“We are in a competitive league and we can’t hide away from that.

“It was a poor game. They deserved to win. I thought we would be a better version of ourselves tonight.

“There’s a couple who can still hold their head up to a level.

“It’s not one game, it’s not the Plymouth game. It’s been 40 games.”

Rotherham’s relegation from the Sky Bet Championship was confirmed after they lost 1-0 at home to Plymouth.

Leam Richardson’s team knew only victory would keep their outside hopes of survival alive but they could not muster a fightback after Bali Mumba had put Argyle ahead in the first half.

Interim head coach Neil Dewsnip was in the dugout for the visitors after Ian Foster’s catastrophic reign was brought to an end earlier this week, with Argyle only picking up one win in their last 11 matches.

The run dragged them deep into relegation trouble of their own but Mumba’s strike gave them only their third victory on the road this season and moves them four points clear of the drop zone.

Rotherham’s first effort came from Seb Revan, who, encouraged by his goal on Easter Monday, took aim from distance but fired high and wide.

Plymouth threatened when a set-piece bobbled around the six-yard area before being eventually scrambled away by the Rotherham defence.

The visitors’ Callum Wright could not get a shot away in time from a promising position as he was charged down by Hakeem Odoffin, before Wright spurned an even bigger opportunity when he was unmarked from Ryan Hardie’s cross but headed off target.

Plymouth made the decisive breakthrough in the 32nd minute when Mumba poked in after a cross from Morgan Whittaker evaded Revan and found the full-back lurking unmarked at the back post. He cut in and managed to finish beyond Viktor Johansson’s grasp at the near post.

Argyle top-scorer Whittaker was becoming more influential early in the second half and he was close to doubling their lead with a driven effort from range.

Rotherham had a decent opening when a deep corner from Sam Clucas ran all the way through to Cohen Bramall at the back post but the full-back’s effort was weak.

The hosts threatened again through Revan who cut in from the right flank and stung the palms of Michael Cooper, with the rebound just evading Tom Eaves.

Argyle were still trying for a killer second goal and Johansson had to be alert to Ryan Hardie’s touch from Adam Randell’s impressive front post delivery.

Substitute Adam Forshaw’s curling effort had Johansson temporarily worried but it was just off target.

Plymouth really should have secured the victory in the final minutes but Dan Scarr’s header was kept out, then Ben Waine’s effort cannoned off the post.

Waine was denied again by an onrushing Johansson when one-on-one but the margin at the end was just one goal.

Morgan Whittaker’s 19th goal of the season gave Plymouth a valuable 1-1 draw at 10-man Blackburn in the Sky Bet Championship.

The struggling duo both went into this game knowing they could be in the bottom three by the end of the day and the early signs were good for Rovers, who led through Sammie Szmodics’ 27th goal of the season.

But the hosts elected to sit in and protect their lead, with that approach yielding chances to the impressive Pilgrims who created numerous opportunities in the first half, with Ryan Hardie and Bali Mumba both fluffing their lines with just the goalkeeper to beat.

Plymouth’s chances improved when Kyle McFadzean was sent off early in the second half and they rescued a point their performance deserved when Whittaker slammed home at the far post in the 74th minute.

Both sides are three points clear of danger but where they would be without two of the Championship’s leading marksmen is anyone’s guess.

The wait for a first win under John Eustace goes on for Blackburn who are winless in seven and although Argyle have won once in that time, there was plenty to be encouraged by at Ewood Park.

Blackburn settled quickest and clinically took the lead in the seventh minute when Yasin Ayari found Szmodics 20 yards out, who stepped inside and curled the ball superbly into the right corner.

But Plymouth settled and Hardie, having already stung Leo Wahlstedt’s palms, missed a gilt-edged chance when a long clearance fooled the Rovers defence but, with just the goalkeeper to beat, he slotted wide.

They should have immediately paid the price when Szmodics found Arnor Sigurdsson 12 yards out but he struck the outside of the post with the goal at his mercy.

Plymouth opened Blackburn up once again in the 32nd minute but Mumba’s touch was poor, allowing Wahlstedt to gather.

The chances continued and Lewis Gibson’s ball found Mickel Miller, who skidded a shot past the far post as the onslaught continued.

Blackburn’s vulnerability to the long ball was exploited when McFadzean was dismissed after hauling Hardie down when he was through on goal.

The visitors came close again just after the hour when Hardie evaded a tackle before rolling the ball wide.

Plymouth’s pressure finally paid off 16 minutes from time when Miller’s cross found substitute Alfie Devine, whose left-foot shot was brilliantly saved by Wahlstedt. Although Hardie’s rebound was blocked on the line, there was no denying Whittaker who slotted home at the far post.

To their credit, Blackburn pushed for a winner and only a save from sprawling goalkeeper Michael Cooper denied Harry Pickering just minutes later.

Whittaker almost won it with a piledriver that flew past the post but Plymouth had to settle for a point.

Steven Schumacher praised the “outstanding” character of his Plymouth side as they fought back to draw 3-3 with Middlesbrough at Home Park.

Goals from Bali Mumba, Finn Azaz and Morgan Whittaker cancelled out efforts from Boro striker Josh Coburn (2) and Sam Greenwood.

The Argyle boss said: “If we play as well as we do then we’ve got to get points, so I’m pleased that we got a point today.”

“I thought it was a great game, two good teams who obviously like to attack.

“There were moments of quality and passages of good play from both sides.

“I felt we were really good first half. Even though we fell behind I thought we were playing well and probably deserved to go in ahead.

“Second half they came out and we couldn’t get the ball off them for 15 minutes and they’ve shown their quality and got themselves ahead.

“So, it was a really tough game, end to end, but the character of our players was outstanding and I’m really pleased to get something from the game because overall I would say a draw was a fair result.

“Since I have been in charge we have always said ‘try and be positive and get on the front foot’ and ‘try and enjoy the game and be exciting’.

“I know at times that can leave us open and I know at times we can defend better and make less errors.

“But we have also got to remember the players we have got and not many of them have played at this level, so they haven’t got the experience that Middlesbrough have got or loads of other Championship teams.

“We are getting better and we can only learn and develop, so that’s what I want them to do, what I believe and hopefully what our fans like to see.”

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick said: “We did enough to win the game. A lot of the performance was good, we didn’t give them an awful lot and what we did give them they punished us for.

“We were terrific in the second half and they had a free-kick that came from nowhere go in at the back post and it is what it is.

“We didn’t start particularly well but we looked dangerous and got the goal and put ourselves in a good position.

“We had a few minutes where we let them into the spaces we knew they wanted to be in and that was frustrating.

“Then the second half I thought we were terrific. The free-kick going in changed the last 10 minutes, so it is a bit frustrating.

“We appreciate all the effort the fans have gone to this week and to add the Norwich one on the back of that a week before, it’s an incredible two weeks of travelling and effort from them.

“We have given them a couple of wins, but this one we felt like we did enough.

“They have seen goals, application and effort from the boys, so there was enough to celebrate and it was nice to spend a few moments with them at the end and show them how much we appreciate them.”