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Whilst Coppell's side eventually triumphed by one goal to nil after a hard fought battle, fans were given reason to fear that the Millers were going to snatch a point late in the game.
But Royals boss Coppell dismissed suggestions that his side should have recorded a comprehensive victory.
"There was an atmosphere that we should be beating teams like this all week, and I hated that because I couldn't think where the logic was coming from," said Coppell, speaking at the post match press conference.
"Rotherham took four points off us last year, beat us 5-1 in February, and there hasn't been a transformation on either side since then for us to be in some kind of ascendancy over them.
"By human nature we were hanging on a little bit, but at the end of 90 minutes I've got to be pleased with three points."
Victory moved Reading up to third, just one point behind Championship pace setters Wigan and Plymouth who have ten points apiece.
Although the Royals have put in some decent early season performances, there is still room for improvement.
American international winger Bobby Convey is one player who will still wish to move up further through the gears, he had some classy touches this afternoon and was beginning to demonstrate why Reading were prepared to pay £800,000 for him.
Coppell admitted that he believes the 21-year-old is still struggling to come to grips with the English game.
"He's been playing football in Washington, 90-odd degrees every week, and it's a different style of football. He comes over here and in a footballing sense it's World War Three every Saturday," said the Royals boss.
"It's 100 miles per hour, you don't have much space, and he's very much coming to terms with that. He showed some nice touches, but he's got to become stronger without becoming a clone of every other player. Time will tell."