VIDEO: 'My players didn't deserve that' says Doncaster Rovers boss Ferguson after late hammerblow of defeat at Rotherham United

Rovers led heading into 13 minutes of added time following John Marquis' first half strike.

But goals from Michael Smith and a last gasp penalty from Joe Newell earned on-form Rotherham the win.

The delay came from injuries to Tom Anderson and Alfie Beestin, both of which Ferguson said were bad.

And it added to a disappointing day for Rovers.

"It's a hard one to take," Ferguson said.

"When you lose a game with the actual last kick of the ball, it's a really hard one to take.

"My players didn't deserve that. The amount of effort they put into that and the commitment.

"It was a typical derby game, one that we expected.

"First half, they didn't give us many problems at all and it was a great goal by John. A great finish.

"We pressed them and the goal came from that. We defended from the front.

"Tom Anderson getting injured for so long gave us a problem in a sense that I new if the game had stayed the same as it was then as soon as the board went up with that amount of injury time, it would give everyone a lift.

"That came into my thinking when Tom was down for so long.

"The first goal is such a blatant foul on my centre half, that is why they score and it's not been seen by the referee.

Ferguson insists he has no qualms with referee Geoff Eltringham's decision to award Rotherham a penalty in the final minute of added time, after Marko Marosi was adjudged to have brought down Smith.

But the Rovers boss was disappointed to not see a foul on Andy Boyle punished in passage of play which led to Rotherham's equaliser.

"It was a penalty," he said of Marosi's foul.

"It's a mistake by my centre half in the last ten seconds of the game.

"Marko has done really well initially to stand up as long as he could.

"But he doesn't have to go for it.

"As soon as he does everyone in the ground knows the boy is going to go down.

"But it is a penalty. I can't have any complaints about the decision.

"I can have complaints about the first goal because the referee has missed a clear foul on Andy Boyle which has allowed their man to get in and score.

"Up to that, we dealt with everything they threw at us.

"Against Rotherham you're going to get periods of the game because of the way they play where they launch it forward, throw it into the box. That;s how they play.

"In the main we dealt with it fine and they didn't have a lot of clear cut chances. It was more shots from outside the box.

"We did well with composure in their half and had a real chance to make it two but it got blocked.

"But it's a real sore one to take, for everyone, the fans.

"To lost last minute in a derby. That's twice they've done it to us now, they got a point at our place.

"It's disappointing."