Rotherham manager Paul Warne apologised to supporters after their promotion hopes suffered another setback with a 3-0 loss at Portsmouth.

Millers old-boys George Hirst and Clark Robertson both found the net as Warne’s men missed the chance to climb above second-placed MK Dons.

A frustrated Warne said: “I apologise wholeheartedly. That performance won’t get us to where we want to be.

“I thought we would come here tonight and put a marker down and we haven’t.

“We think about things all the time. Football is all we think about.

“I don’t know what’s changed. It is the same group of players. I know fans will not be buzzing with that answer.

“We thought a few players were undercooked in the second half on Saturday, so decided to make changes tonight.

“We’ve conceded five away from home now in two games but to concede off of two set-pieces tonight is unheard of.

“If the truth be told, we got bullied. They were more aggressive and determined than us. That’s what’s disappointing.”

A drab game sprung into life on 35 minutes with Pompey taking the lead.

A free-kick by Michael Jacobs was met by Robertson who headed into the far corner

Pompey doubled their lead on 59 minutes as Hirst raced from the halfway line before crossing low and hard for Marcus Harness to thump the ball beyond Viktor Johansson.

It was game over on 65 minutes when ex-Rotherham loanee Hirst fired into an empty net after goalkeeper Johansson came for and missed a cross.

The defeat leaves Rotherham three points behind second-placed MK Dons with a game in hand.

The Millers have now taken just five points from their last seven league games and were fortunate to beat League Two Sutton in the EFL Trophy final at Wembley.

Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley was happy with the way his side bounced back from Saturday’s defeat at Cheltenham.

Cowley said: “We let ourselves down in the second half on Saturday and we let our supporters down.

“We wanted to respond and I thought that was a good performance this evening. We now have to back that up again.

“There were a lot of good performances but I thought George Hirst was outstanding.

“His hold-up play, his link play, he did brilliantly for the second goal and then of course put his chance away very well.

“Rotherham play well man-to-man and I thought Gavin Bazunu’s distribution was excellent. I think the second goal was probably my favourite one of the season.”