We take a look at how the press viewed our 1-0 defeat at the hands of Rotherham United on Saturday.

Marc Joseph crashed home the only goal just before the break to secure the win for the visitors, while Notts fell to a second straight defeat as a result.

Evening Post Report by James Pallatt

He who dares wins - or so Del Boy used to say in Only Fools and Horses.

But Magpies' manager Ian McParland dared against Rotherham and lost.

After adopting a defensively-minded approach against League Two leaders MK Dons on Boxing Day, without success, McParland went on the attack against the Millers.

Lawrie Dudfield, who cut a lonely figure up front in the 2-1 defeat to the Dons, was partnered by Spencer Weir-Daley in attack, and Andy Parkinson and Myles Weston were charged with the task of supporting Notts' armoury from the flanks.

The combative pair of Gary Silk, preferred to Neil MacKenzie in the centre of midfield, and Richard Butcher should have allowed Parkinson and Weston greater freedom to raid forward.

But it never paid off, and both Weston and Weir-Daley were substituted during the half-time interval after disappointing displays in the first half.

Weir-Daley, who tore Rotherham apart with an electrifying display in the 1-1 draw between at Millmoor earlier in the season, failed to make a telling impact on his return to the starting line-up.

He did find space at the near post to meet an early corner swung into the penalty area by Butcher, but directed his header wide of the target. Unmarked, he should have perhaps done better.

And he also made a terrific surge into the box in an attempt to meet a cross from Dudfield, only to see Millers' captain Graham Coughlan block it at the near post. Had he not intervened, Weir-Daley's willingness and instinct would have been rewarded with a simple finish from close-range.

But that was the sum of his contribution before he made way for Jason Lee.

Weston produced only one moment of brilliance in the first half and it came after 28 minutes when he measured a cross perfectly into the penalty area for Dudfield to meet with a powerful header.

It was a certain connection but keeper Andy Warrington pulled off an outstanding save to tip it over the crossbar.

Parkinson struggled to impose himself as he did against MK Dons, and Butcher, Notts' most potent weapon with eight goals, was unusually below par.

It was Rotherham's attacking players who showed greater potency, particularly right winger Mark Hudson and striker Chris O'Grady.

The pair combined for the first clear-cut chance of the game on 13 minutes as Hudson exploited acres of space in midfield to pick out O'Grady with a pinpoint pass. He then fired a low effort that Notts' keeper Kevin Pilkington comfortably smothered. It was the first time he had been called into action, but not the last.

Hudson fired wildly over the crossbar a minute later, after controlling a pass from Danny Harrison just outside the box. On 34 minutes O'Grady served the ball on a silver plate for Marc Joseph to score the decisive goal.

He showed great strength to hold it up inside the area under pressure from Magpies captain Adam Tann, before laying it back for Joseph to arrow the ball across Pilkington and in off the right-hand upright.

McParland has accused his players of conceding sloppy goals and this was another. Tann defended the threat of O'Grady very well, keeping him with his back to goal, but there was no one closing the ball down as it was laid back.

The Magpies once again paid a heavy price and they left the pitch at half-time to a harsh chorus of boos from some home fans.

The introduction of Lee and Austin McCann offered renewed hope at the start of the second half, but neither inspired a fight-back.

Instead, it was Pilkington who took centre-stage with a sequence of remarkable saves. Without him it would have been more, much more. Pablo Mills came close to doubling the Millers' lead on 54 minutes, seizing control of the ball 20 yards from goal and unleashing a fizzing shot that flew just wide of Pilkington's left-hand post.

And after Notts made a half-hearted appeal for a penalty when Lee went down in the box and Dudfield flashed a header wide of the target, O'Grady spurned a glorious chance just after the hour mark.

Warrington went route-one with a long kick upfield that O'Grady latched on to. Pilkington rushed out to narrow his angle of opportunity and he dragged his effort wide of the far post.

Butcher saw a shot deflected wide at the other end on 65 minutes, before McParland made his last throw of the dice by bringing on Hector Sam for Dudfield.

But the Millers continued to threaten, opening the Magpies up at will, and it took some Pilkington class to deny them. He pulled off a string of wonderful saves, the best being a full-stretch tip past his left-hand upright from a Hudson header.

He also showed astounding agility to turn past the post a low drive from Harrison that skidded on the wet surface.

Hunt fired tamely at Warrington from the edge of the box and Sam flashed a chance across the face of goal in the closing minutes, as Notts slipped to their second home defeat in four days.

If he who dares doesn't always win, McParland might still need some of Del Boy's wheeling and dealing nous when the transfer window opens to inspire a turnaround at Meadow Lane.

Rotherham United Official Website Report

Looking for their first league win at Meadow Lane for over 50 years, Rotherham United made one change with Mark Hudson returning to the line up in place of Marc Newsham who dropped to the bench.

Pablo Mills was the first to have a crack at goal but his effort was well off the target before County replied with a good cross that won a corner from which Weir-Daley put just wide.

Mills was then over the bar with a 30 yarder before a good move saw Ian Ross find Chris O'Grady whose shot was saved. Another good ball from Ross found Hudson who fired high and wide as the Millers dictated the open period and from a Ross cross Derek Holmes miss kicked in front of goal with a reasonable chance.

Then a Ross free kick picked out Ian Sharps who headed just wide before County replied on 26 minutes with a corner and then a Dudfield shotsaw Andy Warrington pull off a brilliant save as he turned the ball over the bar for a corner.

Then the Millers took charge again and took the lead on 34 minutes when Ross had a pass blocked but O'Grady latched on to the ball to lay it into the path for Marc Joseph to score his first Rotherham goal with a fine shot from 25 yards.

That was not more than United deserved as they had looked much the better team and they went into the break with that narrow lead.

County made two changes at the start of the second half but it was the Millers again who did most of the attacking. A 48th minute Ross free kick saw Canoville almost concede an own goal but his header was cleared off the line before a low O'Grady cross was cut out.

A fine passing move ended with Mills firing just wide from 25 yards while at the other end Dudfield headed wide. Back came United again and they should have added a second goal on 61 minutes when a Warrington clearance was touched on by Holmes to put O'Grady in the clear but with only the keeper to beat he put his shot just wide.

The Millers conceded a corner when Butcher's shot was parried but they attacked strongly again for Pilkington to pull off a brilliant save to keep out a Hudson header.

He then saved a 30 yarder from Danny Harrison and saved well from O'Grady as United kept up the pressure in dreadful conditions with a howling wind and driving rain.

From a corner another cross came in and Sharps had a header saved and as County replied a McCann free kick was blocked for Sam to head wide from a close range narrow angle.

In the last minute a great ball from Ross found Ryan Taylor and his cross was headed out for a corner while three minutes of added time saw the Millers hold on for a well deserved victory.