WHAT a difference a week makes.

Seven days after a 95th-minute winner sent Accrington Stanley fans home delighted against Lincoln City a stoppage-time goal for Rotherham left them despairing as the Reds were denied a point that manager John Coleman felt they deserved.

“It’s frustrating,” he said after Ben Wiles had headed home the winner for the league leaders in the second minute of added time.

“The least we deserved out of it was a point. If you go on the balance of chances created we made the best chances. I know they hit the bar at the end but the time was already up really.

“There were two chances in injury time; their lad heads his in and Ozzy (Offrande Zanzala) heads one over the bar which is harder to miss, to be honest.

“I can’t ask for any more from the players. They battled for everything, they more than matched Rotherham who are a good side who are effective at what they do and go very long.

“If they have a sympathetic ref who gives a lot of fouls they put lots of balls into your box but we defended them really well. I’m disappointed that we conceded from a corner that we shouldn’t really be giving away in the first place but you have to defend it.

“We scored in injury time last week so I can’t really complain about it. It’s hard to take.”

Stanley were looking to record four successive wins for the first time since clinching the League Two title in 2018 and acquitted themselves well as they looked to cause the side with the best away record in the division problems.

Coleman’s team went closest to scoring in the first half, with Dion Charles rounding goalkeeper Daniel Iverson, only for defender Matthew Olosunde to slide in and clear, before Aji Alese was denied a first senior goal when his long-range rasper was pawed away by Iverson.

After the break it was more of a blow-by-blow affair, with home keeper Joe Bursik saving from ex-Red Dan Barlaser and Jordan Clark firing over the top at the other end.

But it would be the Millers who edged in front thanks to a goal in which two Stanley old boys played a part.

Barlaser delivered the left wing corner to the far post where defender Michael Ihiekwe was on hand to head across the face for sub Freddie Ladapo to stab home from close range.

The lead lasted just a minute though as Alese’s adventurous run into the Rotherham area ended with him on the turf following a heavy challenge but Clark had the presence of mind to follow up, shooting into the ground and sending the ball over Iverson and into the net via the inside of the post.

Moments later it might have turned around as Clark knocked the ball down to Joe Pritchard who had the goalkeeper beaten with his shot but it skidded the wrong side of the post.

It looked like ending honours even but Wiles had other ideas.

The sub ghosted in to take advantage of defensive indecision in the Stanley ranks and head Barlaser’s delivery home for a 2-1 lead with precious little time left.

Still the Reds should have had their point, with the luckless Zanzala stretching to meet Colby Bishop’s delivery and somehow heading it over.

Former Stanley star Matt Crooks hit the bar with virtually the last kick of the game.

Had that gone in insult would have been added to injury but the Reds were left to wonder what might have been.

Stanley: Bursik, Johnson, Sykes, Hughes, Alese, Clark, Conneely, Finley, Pritchard (Zanzala 90), Charles (Bishop 80), Ashley-Seal (Grant 80)

Subs not used: Savin, Maguire, Barclay, Diallo.

Rotherham United: Iverson, Olosunde, Ihiekwe, Wood, Mattock, Ogbene, Barlaser, Crooks, Adelakun (Ladepo 61), Vassell (Wiles 71), Smith (Koroma 81)

Subs not used: MacDonald, Thompson, Price, Lindsay

Referee: Seb Stockbridge