Sheffield United's Paul Heckingbottom not interested in excuses as jaded Blades are beaten by determined Rotherham United

The Blades manager saw his team get what they deserved for a jaded performance and another defensive error as the Millers won the South Yorkshire derby 1-0.

The hosts came into the game on a high but an unchanged side looked drained of energy.

"From the first moments we didn't play with the same pace and energy that we like to and we normally do," he admitted.

"Certainly in my experience when you're feeling that, conceding the first goal is the last thing you want to happen.

"I don't mind changing the team but we're not blessed options at the minute. People are carrying things.

"Macca (James McAtee) came on carrying an injury. We didn't want to bring him on so early and Bash is the same with his hip flexor but that's where we're at. That's not an excuse.

"We just fell below our levels.

"There probably are reasons. You've always got a reason not to win if you want one.

"We fell below our levels as a group and weren't at our best."

With the odds stacked against a Rotherham side who fought to the bitter end for a clean sheet, the game summed up the unpredictable Championship."We speak about it all the time," said Heckingbottom. "That's it right there.

"What we want to be able to do is overcome that and be the team that's not having as many dips.

"We could have still won that game, course we could, but we haven't.

"The stats will not be a reflection. I'm not sitting here saying we deserved to win but the stats will probably say we did.

"We didn't play with same pace and energy we do.

"I thought Ollie Norwood was brave trying to get on the ball and make us play but as a group we weren't at our best."

Heckingbottom revealed Anel Ahmedhodzic was substituted because he was feeling unwell, and that John Fleck had a hamstring injury.

The Blades had no more substitutes left when Oli McBurnie picked up an ankle injury in stoppage time, and he ended the game hobbling.