NEIL WARNOCK has been warning of the need for reinforcements from the moment the current season began in September, and in the final week of the January transfer window, the Middlesbrough manager’s fears have finally been realised. This is a Boro squad running on empty, and while Yannick Bolasie looks set to arrive on loan from Everton in the next 24 hours, further reinforcements are surely also required if the Teessiders’ faltering promotion push is to be successfully reignited.

Last night’s defeat to a Rotherham side that remain in the relegation positions means Boro have now suffered three home losses in a row, and while this month’s defeat to Birmingham could be attributed to the after-effects of a Covid outbreak and last weekend’s reverse to Blackburn was overshadowed by Dael Fry’s facial injury, there was no such mitigation for last night’s collapse.

Boro’s joint-heaviest defeat of the season was thoroughly deserved, with Rotherham outplaying them from start to finish. Matt Crooks opened the scoring at the end of the first half, Michael Smith effectively settled things when he stroked home from the penalty spot with 11 minutes left, and substitute Ryan Giles rounded off a fine night for the visitors when he slotted home in stoppage time.

Middlesbrough’s best opening came to nothing when Sam Morsy fired into the legs of goalkeeper Jamal Blackman with the score at 1-0, but the Teessiders did not deserve to claim anything given their laboured display. It could be argued this was a performance that had been coming, but it was still a surprise to see Boro so comprehensively outplayed by a team in the bottom three.

Their midfield malfunctioned all evening, with Morsy and George Saville both badly out of sorts, and even the previously ultra-reliable Paddy McNair had an off-night. Warnock’s problem, as he knows only too well, is that he does not really have anyone to replace bring in to shake things up.

It was also a bad evening for Patrick Roberts, who was afforded a first league start since early November in place of the injured Marcus Tavernier, but who did nothing to suggest he deserves to remain in the team.

Warnock clearly harbours major reservations about Roberts’ willingness to knuckle down, but the Boro boss insists he is ready to be won over, and by promoting the loanee to last night’s starting line-up ahead of Marvin Johnson, he suggested the door had not been slammed shut. After last night, however, the bolts might well be being readied.

In fairness, Roberts was not the only Boro player who struggled to make an impact in the final third. Opportunities were limited throughout a scrappy affair, with the Teessiders struggling to break down a Rotherham defence that had conceded three goals to Stoke City in its previous game.

The visitors were energetic and committed, chasing their opponents around the field and funneling back diligently to pack the area in front of their own 18-yard box, but Warnock will still have been justifiably disappointed at his side’s lack of incision, which was especially pronounced in the first half.

Boro failed to force their former goalkeeper, Blackman, into a single save before the break, with Britt Assombalonga little more than a bystander and neither Roberts nor Duncan Watmore able to create any time or space in the Rotherham half.

Indeed, with Djed Spence and Marc Bola both having to concentrate on their defensive duties rather than being able to push upfield, much of the play before the break took place with Boro on the back foot.

Rotherham came close to opening the scoring after just six minutes, with Smith drilling a low effort just past the post after his strike partner, Crooks, released him into the right side of the area, and the Millers’ attacking duo went on to combine effectively all evening.

Crooks should have scored midway through the opening period, but he was unable to take advantage of an uncharacteristically sloppy error from Jonny Howson. The Boro midfielder’s attempted back-pass was never going to reach Marcus Bettinelli, but while Crooks nipped in to steal possession, he stroked a side-footed shot wide of the target.

That was a major let-off for Boro, but they did not escape again when Crooks took aim again two minutes before the interval. Smith’s shot was blocked, with the ball ballooning into the penalty area, and Saville’s weak headed clearance barely succeeded in clearing the 18-yard box. Crooks latched on to the loose ball, and lashed a low first-time strike past Bettinelli’s right hand.

Boro’s best first-half opportunity came to nothing when Morsy fired wastefully over from 20 yards after Roberts pulled the ball back into his path, and Rotherham would have been even further ahead at the interval had Bettinelli not clawed the ball to safety in stoppage time after Smith outjumped the entire home defence to loop a header towards goal.

Boro threatened at the start of the second half, with a swivelling Roberts firing over after Bola’s cross was cleared into his path inside the area, but while there was more urgency in the home side’s play after the break, there was precious little uplift when it came to attacking quality.

Indeed, for much of the second period, it was the counter-attacking raids launched by Rotherham that looked likeliest to result in a goal, with the visitors breaking with pace and purpose whenever Boro’s attacking moves broke down.

The Millers almost doubled their lead shortly before the hour mark, but while Nathan Wood’s hurried foul afforded Jamie Lindsay the opportunity to fire in a 20-yard free-kick, the midfielder’s shot was parried by Bettinelli. Crooks momentarily looked like pouncing on the rebound, but a covering Howson scrambled the ball the safety.

Boro’s best chance of an equaliser came to nothing shortly after the hour mark, with Morsy spurning a golden opportunity eight yards out. Watmore’s blocked shot fell invitingly into his path, but despite having plenty of time to pick his spot, the Boro midfielder fired a low shot straight into the legs of an advancing Blackman, whose goalkeeping spell on Teesside is best remembered for his starring role in a 14-13 penalty shoot-out win over Liverpool in 2014.

Blackman actually scored a penalty in front of the Kop that night, and he found himself watching another successful spot-kick yesterday as Rotherham settled things with 11 minutes left.

The Boro defence failed to deal with a long free-kick into the area, and when Millers centre-half Michael Ihiekwe picked up the loose ball on the edge of the six-yard box, he was chopped down by a panicked Bettinelli. Smith stepped up, and stroked home his fifth goal from the last seven games from the spot.

That was that, although there was still time for Rotherham to ram home their superiority by claiming a third goal in stoppage time.

Ben Wiles rolled a square ball into Giles’ path, and the visiting substitute calmly slotted home to claim his first senior goal just a day after he was celebrating his 21st birthday.