Rotherham United 3-3 Salford City produced the kind of chaotic, end-to-end League Two contest that the New York Stadium has not seen in years, as the Millers twice surrendered a lead before salvaging a breathless point in a six-goal thriller.

A night of swings at the New York Stadium

Rotherham United and Salford City played out a remarkable 3-3 draw in League Two, a result that left both managers searching for answers and both sets of supporters wondering exactly how their side had failed to win. On a mild Saturday evening in South Yorkshire, the hosts looked in control of the contest for long spells, only to be dragged back by a Salford side whose resilience has become a hallmark of their recent form.

The point keeps Rotherham in the chasing pack of the early League Two standings, while Salford will take genuine encouragement from a performance that showed both defensive frailty and attacking quality in equal measure.

First half: Rotherham set the tempo

Rotherham started the brighter of the two teams, pressing high and forcing Salford into a series of hurried clearances. The Millers' midfield squeezed the space in the middle third and repeatedly turned possession into quick entries into the penalty area, and the opening goal arrived from exactly that pattern — a turnover won 30 yards from goal, a sharp pass into the channel, and a composed finish across the goalkeeper.

Salford responded well. Rather than retreating, they pushed their full-backs higher and began to find joy down the right, where the visitors' wide players repeatedly isolated their markers. The equaliser came from a well-worked move that stretched Rotherham's back line, and suddenly the home crowd's early confidence gave way to a more anxious atmosphere.

Rotherham restored their lead before the interval, converting from a set piece that Salford failed to clear convincingly. It was a scrappy goal, but it underlined the Millers' threat from dead balls, an area that has produced a healthy share of their goals this season.

Second half: Salford refuse to fold

The pattern of the second half was simple to describe and impossible to control: Rotherham attacked, Salford countered, and neither defence looked entirely comfortable. A third goal for the hosts early after the restart appeared to have settled the contest, giving the Millers a cushion their dominance arguably deserved.

What followed was a lesson in Salford's character. The visitors changed shape, introduced fresh legs in wide areas, and began to win second balls in midfield. Their second goal arrived from a low cross that was turned in at the near post, and from that moment the momentum shifted decisively.

The equaliser, deep into the closing stages, was greeted with a mixture of delight in the away end and disbelief among the home supporters. Rotherham had chances to win it in stoppage time, including one scramble that ended with the ball bouncing agonisingly wide, but the final whistle confirmed a share of the spoils.

Key moments

• Opening goal: Rotherham's high press forces a turnover and a clinical first-time finish inside the box.
• Salford equaliser: A stretched back line is exposed down the right, and the cut-back is converted from close range.
• Set-piece strike: Rotherham restore the lead from a corner that Salford fail to clear.
• Third goal for the Millers: A fast break after the restart puts the hosts in command.
• Salford's fightback: Two goals in the final third of the match, including a stoppage-time leveller, complete an unlikely comeback.

Tactical story: pressing versus patience

Rotherham's approach was built on intensity. Their front line pressed aggressively, their midfield pushed up to compress the pitch, and the majority of their best moments came from winning the ball in advanced areas. The risk was always going to be the space left behind, and Salford exploited it ruthlessly as the game wore on.

Salford, by contrast, were patient in possession during the first hour and increasingly direct thereafter. Their willingness to switch play and attack the far post caused persistent problems, and their substitutions added exactly the pace the game required. Defensively, though, both sides will spend the week working on shape; shipping three goals apiece is rarely a recipe for promotion form over a full League Two season.

Standout performers

Rotherham's attacking players carried the biggest threat, with their striker's movement in the box a constant problem for the Salford centre-backs and the set-piece delivery from wide areas consistently dangerous. In midfield, the Millers' tempo-setting presence dictated the rhythm of the first hour.

For Salford, the substitutes changed the match. The