20 unbeaten and still top of the league ... on-the-whistle report: Rotherham United 3 Burton Albion 1

They were made to work hard by a spirited Burton Albion side but ran out worthy winners in the end.

Two goals from Freddie Ladapo had given them a 2-1 lead before Dan Barlaser wrapped up proceedings in the closing stages.

Particularly delighted was captain Richard Wood was was making his 200th appearance for the club.

Rotherham were close to taking the lead against their midtable opponents with only 70 seconds on the clock as Kieran Sadlier's clever pass played in Ollie Rathbone to cross to Michael Smith at the back post.

The top scorer's header was looping under the bar until Ryan Leak headed the ball off the line.

On eight minutes Ben Wiles' header sprung Smith clear but the striker, after doing well to shake off a marker, shot straight at goalkeeper Ben Garratt when a square ball would have left Freddie Ladapo looking at an empty net.

Burton's first real threat came in the 23rd minute when Harry Chapman, with more time than he realised, miscued at the far post after a long throw had caused the home side problems.

The Brewers were made to pay immediately when the Millers went straight down to the other end and a combination of Ollie Rathbone and Wiles set up Ladapo for a quick-thinking back-heeled finish.

Six minutes later, it could have been 2-0 as more good work from Wiles saw Smith lash a decent opening just wide.

In Wood's landmark game, Rotherham were on top and promotion songs were ringing out from the North Stand on a wet winter's afternoon.

There was no let-up in the rain and no let-up from Paul Warne's men either as their pressing game penned Burton in their own half.

Smith robbed an opponent in the 38th minute and this time provided the pass for Ladapo. However, his attacking partner could do no better than hit Garratt when he was clean through and should have doubled the advantage.

As half-time approached, a well-worked corner routine saw Michael Ihiekwe heading over the bar from 15 yards and Rotherham appeared to be in control.

But in the 44th minute Dane Hemmings was sprung clear by Charlie Lakin's pass and the Burton man did what Ladapo had failed to do and converted his one-on-one opportunity.

There was still time for another golden Millers chance before the break, Smith somehow putting his effort off target when he had the goal at his mercy.

Wood had returned to the heart of the three-man defence and Shane Ferguson was preferred at left wing-back to Mickel Miller who had been one of the scorers in the 5-1 demolition of Gillingham four days earlier.

Sadlier started on the other flank, after missing out altogether on the last two league squads, as Chiedozie Ogbene dropped to the bench.

Miller had been scheduled to be among the substitutes but in a late change was replaced by Tolaji Bola.

Wes Harding and Will Grigg, who has just become a dad again, weren't in the matchday 18.

Rotherham needed only three minutes of the second half to go in front again as Rarmani Edmonds-Green's defence-splitting pass sent Ladapo racing away.

The centre-forward was one on one again and this time made no mistake.

Just past the hour-mark, going for the first hat-trick of his career, he failed to convert Smith's cross in one of the most astonishing misses ever seen at New York but the offside flag was raised to spare his blushes.

Soon after, Wiles made one of trademark driving runs down the left and fired across goal and just wide before Tom Hamer failed to get enough power in his shot to test Millers keeper Viktor Johansson.

With 20 minutes remaining, a third Rotherham goal would have killed off the contest yet Burton had come right back into the game and Leak headed wastefully wide.

Conor Shaughnessy hit the woodwork with a header for Albion in the 80th minute and then the Millers made the three points safe with five minutes to go.

The visitors were penalised for Leak's back-pass to the keeper and from the indirect free-kick six yards from goal Jamie Lindsay played the ball backwards into the path of Dan Barlaser who smashed it through a wall of Burton legs in front of a delirious North Stand.

The promotion songs were out in force again as the clocked ticked down.

Rotherham (3-5-2): Viktor Johansson; Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Richard Wood, Michael Ihiekwe; Kieran Sadlier (Chiedozie Ogbene 80), Ben Wiles, Dan Barlaser, Ollie Rathbone (Jamie Lindsay 80), Shane Ferguson (Joe Mattock 69); Freddie Ladapo, Michael Smith. Subs not used: Josh Vickers, Hakeem Odoffin, Tolaji Bola, Josh Kayode.

Burton (3-5-2): Ben Garratt; Conor Shaughnessy, Ryan Leak, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson; Lucas Akins (Aaron Amadi-Holloway 85), Terry Taylor, Deji Oshilaja, Charlie Lakin (Daniel Jebbison 73), Tom Hamer; Harry Chapman, Kane Hemmings. Subs not used: Callum Hawkins, Bryn Morris, Joe Powell, Jacob Maddox, Michael Mancienne.

Goals: Ladapo 23, 48, Barlaser 85 (Rotherham); Hemmings 44 (Burton).

Referee: Sam Allison (Wiltshire).

Attendance: 9,007 (267).