Rotherham United 0 Wigan Athletic 2: Millers do not lack perspiration, but inspiration thin on the ground

The 37-year-old was was taking the reins alongside Lee Peltier for the Millers' first match in nearly six years without Paul Warne, Richie Barker or usually both in the dugout but it ended in a 2-0 defeat to Wigan Athletic.

The tactics and the personnel followed the pattern the pair established at the New York Stadium and there was no lack of effort or motivation from the home players, but it was one of those days when things did not quite click for them. The timing was unfortunate.

It meant that for only the third time this season – the second in the Championship, the first at home – Rotherham lost.

The temporary duo were given the warm reception and then some the PA asked for before kick-off and Wood's every early contribution met with great encouragement as Peltier stood, often quite undemonstratively, in the technical area.

But the team needed Wood in the early stages in particular because it was the Latics who took the initiative.

It took about 20 minutes for the Millers to get going, and by then they were behind.

He had to get across to smother a Charlie Wyke shot after the former Middlesbrough and Bradford City striker was released by Nathan Broadhead's clever touch. Viktor Johnasson comfortably claimed the looping deflection.

The goal was coming, although Rotherham were unhappy when it did, Wood appealing for offside as Wykes was allowed to carry on and pull the ball back for Will Keane to drill in a minute after shooting wide from distance. The game was just over 11 minutes old.

Rotherham, who have lost every game they have conceded the first goal in this season, were initially unable to respond, Wigan to slip into a higher gear, despite Ryan Nyambe shooting wide.

Eventually the hosts found their feet.

Wood won the ball and played a pass which forced Brokke Norton-Cuffy to get forward. He slipped as he went to cross but the ball fell for Wes Harding to force Ben Amos into his first serious save of the afternoon.

They went closer still 30 minutes later, James McClean – a full-back nowadays – sprinting back to head a goalbound Chiedozie Ogbene effort away after Ollie Rathbone played him in. The ball stayed out of the net but McClean did not, forcing some running repairs.

Ben Wiles' blocked shot from the corner forced another the stooping Wood headed wide.

Cohen Bramall might have shot when he ran onto a curling cross from fellow wing-back Norton-Cuffy but decided a pull-back was the best option from the tight angle. It evaded Conor Washington.

Wigan's threat had not extinguished, Tom Naylor half-volleying wide and shooting at Harding, either side of Johansson being forced to tip a McClean corner over.

The half ended with the captain/caretaker-manager briefly losing his head as Wood had to be kept away from Wigan players angry at the tackle on Wyke which put him in Andy Davies' notebook.

After another slow start which saw Johansson have to react well to Max Power's deflected shot, Rotherham played most of the second half on the front foot but Wigan dictated the flow with time-wasting and as the Millers got more frustrated, the game got bittier with both sides making fouls.

Norton-Cuffy and Ben Wiles were booked minutes apart for a cynical shirt-pull and a foul respectively. Curtis Tilt reacted angrily at how his old team-mate Ogbene went to ground after a foul, soon followed by some of Wigan's most shameless delaying tactics. They all cranked up the temperature with antagonism between the two sets of fans and anger from the Rotherham supporters towards referee Andy Davies.

For all that game was being increasingly played at one end, Ben Amos was having a quiet game.

Bramall ballooned a free-kick when Ogbene was fouled but there was not enough else to report.

Then a Wigan counter-attack killed the game.

Johansson made a brilliant save when McClean burst through a Grant Hall tackle after 83 minutes but the Irishman's corner was headed across for Naylor to nod in and home supporters headed for the exits as those in the away end celebrated.

One end of the ground apart, a nearly full stadium 15 minutes earlier was sparsely populated by the time Davies called a halt on proceedings.

They want the direction a new permanent manager can provide quickly before the impetus of an excellent start to the season peters out.

Rotherham United: Johansson; Hall, Wood, Harding; Barlaser (Kelly 86); Norton-Cuffy, Wiles, Rathbone (Lindsay 64), Bramall (Ferguson 86); Ogbene, Washington (Eaves 64).

Unused substitutes: High, Humphreys, Vickers.

Wigan Athletic: Amos; Nyambe, Whatmough, Tilt, McClean; Power, Naylor; Broadhead, Keane, Aasgaard (Darikwa 79); Wyke (Magennis 79).

Unused substitutes: Jones, Kerr, Shinnie, Bennett, Fletcher.

Referee: A Davies (Hampshire).