Dearden told the Mansfield CHAD after the game."We made a game of it and if it had gone on another five or 10 minutes we might have got something out of it as Rotherham were starting to panic.
"Millmoor is a difficult place to go and anyone who comes here this season will know they have been in a game.
"At least we gave the supporters something to shout about and showed there is maybe some light at the end of the tunnel."
"We showed a bit of character and fighting spirit and I was quite pleased with them in the end.
"But it is easy to start playing when you are 3-0 down. We have to play like that when it's 0-0.
"For the sixth time this season we have let the other team take an early lead which gives them a big lift.
"We had to change things round again due to more injuries and we had to keep changing formations and doing the best we could with what we had on the bench during the game.
"It is easier to play out of position at home and that showed today. But we are not making excuses. The players who go out there have to do their best and that is what they did.