Referee in firing line as Millers pegged back after controversial sending-off ... on-the-whistle report: Rotherham United 2 Blackburn Rovers 2

The Millers were leading 2-0 and in control when they lost attacker Fred Onyedinma to a bizarre dismissal just minutes into the second half.

Referee Robert Madley came under heavy fire from the crowd for that decision and then a subsequent flurry of cautions including one for manager Matt Taylor.

Rotherham couldn't hang on and two quickfire goals from Sam Szmodics gave Blackburn Rovers a share of the spoils.

Madley was vociferously booed off the pitch at the end of the contest.

The Millers came close to an opener on nine minutes when Viktor Johansson's clearance sent Onyedinma clear down the right.

The winger shot low for goal and keeper Aynsley Pears just managed to get a hand to the ball and push it around the post.

Howls of protest came from home fans who were rightly angered by Madley's decision to give a goal-kick rather than a corner.

There was almost as much dissent six minutes later at another Madley award as the official pointed to the penalty spot following Cameron Humphreys' challenge on Joe Rankin-Costello.

Szmodics stepped up in front of the North Stand and saw his effort from 12 yards hit the post.

Rotherham made the visitors pay, taking a 23rd-minute lead in spectacular style as Hakeem Odoffin crashed an unstoppable shot beyond Pears.

The midfielder picked up a loose Szmodics pass on the edge of the area, took aim and from that moment there was only one outcome.

His strike had echoes of his first-minute Goal-of-the-Season contender against the same opponents at the same end last season.

In the first home league encounter of the campaign, Millers supporters were warming to the all-action effort on show as their team defended resolutely and looked to get forward whenever they could.

Rotherham had been hoping to include centre-half Grant Hall and new-boy striker Andre Green in their squad but neither were quite ready after hamstring and groin complaints respectively.

Injuries have kept a number of Millers players in the treatment room in the opening stages of the campaign and Taylor was one short on his bench where he was able to name only eight substitutes.

Captain Sean Morrison was one of those subs, meaning Ollie Rathbone wore the armband. Fellow midfielder Cafu returned after a one-match ban.

Fury erupted at the start of the second half after the home side had doubled their advantage through Onyedinma's diving header from Cafu's 48th-minute free-kick.

The scorer was booked during the celebrations and then quickly received a second caution in the aftermath of him being fouled by Adam Wharton.

There was suddenly yellow everywhere as boss Taylor, goalkeeper Viktor Johansson and assistant manager Wayne Carlisle all went into Madley's book.

The crowd were up in arms and let the official know what they thought of him in no uncertain terms.

Down to ten men for the second league match in a row, Rotherham stiffened their backline by bringing on centre-half Morrison and sacrificing Cafu's attacking threat.

But there was little they could do as Szmodics atoned for his earlier errors by pouncing in the 75th minute and then again three minutes later to level the scores.

The Millers were desperately hanging on and Johansson marked his 100th appearance for the club with a superb save five minutes from the end of regulation time to keep out Harry Pickering's long-range attempt.

Niall Ennis's close-range volley was just over the bar for Rovers in the first minute of nine added on, Pickering shot wide and Johansson held on to Sam Gallagher's header.

In the end, it was a first point for the Millers. But it could have, and should have, been all three.

Rotherham (4-3-3): Viktor Johansson; Dexter Lembikisa (Tolaji Bola 81), Cameron Humphreys, Tyler Blackett; Cohen Bramall; Cafu (Sean Morrison 61), Ollie Rathbone (Ciaran McGuckin 89), Hakeem Odoffin; Ben Wiles (Josh Kayode 89), Jordan Hugill (Georgie Kelly 61), Fred Onyedinma. Subs not used: Dillon Phillips, Jamie McCart, Josh Ayres.

Blackburn (4-2-3-1): Aynsley Pears; Joe Rankin-Costello, Hayden Carter, Dominic Hyam, Harry Pickering; Lewis Travis (Callum Brittain 57), Adam Wharton (John Buckley 90+5); Dilan Markanday (Ryan Hedges 57), Sammie Szmodics, Tyrhys Dolan (Sam Gallagher 68); Harry Leonard (Niall Ennis 57). Subs not used: Leopold Wahlstedt, Sondre Trondstad, Scott Wharton, Jake Garrett.

Goals: Odoffin 23, Onyedinma 48 (Rotherham); Szmodics 75, 78 (Blackburn).

Referee: Robert Madley (West Yorkshire).

Attendance: 10,828 (1,916).