Relegation-threatened Rotherham wasted a dream start against form boys Watford - and it was only the woodwork that saved them from defeat.
They got off to a flier as Shaun Barker's long punt upfield was knocked on by Michael Proctor for strike partner Martin Butler to race into the box and fire past Alec Chamberlain for his 13th goal of the campaign.
But that was about as good as it got for the Millers in a scruffy game on a cabbage patch of a pitch, as Watford took the upper hand and should have led by the break.
With Hameur Bouazza, Paul Devlin and Bruce Dyer causing no end of problems, the Rotherham defence had to hang on grimly at times. Bouazza saw a header superbly tipped out for a corner by keeper Mike Pollitt and he then headed wide with another half-chance.
Rotherham's cause wasn't helped when Phil Gilchrist limped off on the quarter-hour, Watford levelling nine minutes later as Devlin skipped past the defence and crossed for Dyer to head home at the far post.
Lee Cook should have put his side ahead, with two chances inside a minute, firstly firing tamely at Pollitt after another good Devlin cross and then crashing a thunderbolt shot against a post with Pollitt beaten.
After the break, both sides had the jitters in a game neither wanted to lose and chances were few and far between.
Rotherham did carve out two good openings for Jody Morris, while Chamberlain had to be quick off his line to stop a Butler effort after a clever Morris flick through.
Former Premiership star Morris was Rotherham's chief playmaker, going close with a late effort from a John Mullin free-kick, although the Hornets defence was rock-tight, with Sean Dyche and Marcus Gayle superb.