Bojan saves the Potters
A LATE header from substitute Bojan rescued a point and eased the pressure on under-fire manager Gary Rowett as Stoke came back from two goals down.
It looked as if the visitors were going to return home empty handed after a crazy five-minute spell in the second half saw the hosts open up a 2-0 lead.
But first Tom Ince then Bojan ensured Rowett (right) breathed a little easier.
He will be still wondering how on earth his side did not return home with all three points after totalling dominating this encounter, but woeful finishing and sloppy defending means the Potters still only have two wins to their name this season.
They should have been ahead as early as the fifth minute when £12million striker Benik Afobe was presented with a golden opportunity.
Great work by Peter Etobo to win the ball in midfield allowed Joe Allen to slip the striker in on goal but, with just keeper Marek Rodak to beat, Afobe’s effort was weak.
Allen and Afobe teamed up again 10 minutes later but this time Rodak was forced into a smart stop to tip away the striker’s first-time effort.
Rotherham, who have secured all their points on home soil this season, were hardly a threat in the first half but were almost gifted the lead on the half-hour.
Jack Butland threw the ball straight to Ryan Manning and, with the keeper out of his goal, the midfielder tried his luck but his effort could only find the side netting.
You got the feeling it was not going to be Afobe’s day when the striker finally saw an effort beat Rodak, but his header from Erik Pieters’ cross came back off the crossbar.
Stoke were then punished for not taking their chances during a nightmare five-minute spell at the start of the second half. Rotherham were awarded a penalty a minute in when Ashley Williams bundled namesake Ryan to the ground inside the area.
Manning duly made no mistake from the spot with his second goal of the season.
It got even worse for Rowett four minutes later when Ryan Williams’ corner was headed goalwards by Richard Wood and Richie Towell was on hand to flick the ball past Butland.
Ince gave Stoke a lifeline just before the hour when he slotted home Pieters’ pull-back.
It still looked like being another miserable away day for the travelling fans, who were outstanding in their support, until Bojan reacted the quickest to flick his header past Rodak.