The own goal, the small squad, the big opportunity ... the story of Swansea City 1 Rotherham United 0

Andy Rinomhota's head made deft contact with a corner and managed to wrong-foot the best goalkeeper in the Championship.

If only that goalkeeper hadn't been a teammate of the Rotherham United man.

The 75th-minute own goal settled in Swansea City's favour a contest that the already-relegated Millers didn't deserve to lose.

Leam Richardson's squad are as low in numbers as ever but what they haven't been low on during their last two away matches is resolve. They've suddenly found some spirit in adversity, as West Bromwich Albion and then, three days later, the Swans can testify.

“It's a cruel game, isn't it,” the head coach reflected. “I thought we did enough to get something.

“Their goal, it's a mistake. You live with honest mistakes. That group of players on the pitch have given everything for the shirt.

“We played on Wednesday night and got back late. Then we're straight back on the coach early on Friday to play against another highly-rated team.

“I thought we gave a good account of ourselves. I'm proud of that but, obviously, the result isn't the one we wanted.”

Rotherham were a long, long way from home. More than 200 intrepid souls made Saturday's journey to South Wales to support them and congestion caused by accidents meant it took nearly six hours to get there.

Road signs appeared in two languages. For English-speakers, the Millers were playing a Swansea side now in 14th place; for those who prefer Welsh, it was mid-table Abertawe.

City passed and passed and passed but couldn't penetrate. Viktor Johansson had first-half saves to make, from Liam Cullen, Jay Fulton and Jamie Paterson, but they were all routine ones for a keeper of his stature.

The one to keep out a drive from Brazilian winger Ronald was the pick of the bunch.

The Millers, once again, were able to name only seven substitutes through a combination of injuries and one or two players maybe not fancying the rigours of a dead-rubber run-in and hiding behind the treatment-room door.

The 11 on the pitch couldn't open the door in attack but closed it firmly at the back.

“We had to work hard without the ball,” Richardson said. “We had to work hard on our shape, which everyone does coming to Swansea. They're a good team: well organised, well coached.

“We could have been miles better in possession. I thought our tired legs, with the small group we have got, showed.

“My first question after a game is always: ‘Did you give as much as you could give?’ I think that today they did. What we lacked in certain areas we make up for in endeavour and application.”

Swansea were on their 12th corner - Rotherham had none - when Liam Walsh sent in the delivery that the stooping Rinomhota inadvertently directed in at the near post.

In the process, the Millers midfielder fell prostrate to the turf and remained there, holding his head in his hands.

Nightmare. Or ‘hunllef’, as they might say in that part of the world. By breaching the visitors' defence, he'd just done what Swansea had been looking increasingly incapable of doing themselves.

Rotherham players picked up Rinomhota literally, did the same to themselves figuratively and fought to the final whistle.At last, deep into stoppage time, their opportunity came.

Substitute Arvin Appiah clipped in the ball from the right and fellow sub Tom Eaves did wonderfully well to wrap himself in front of Ben Cabanga and flash a header towards the far corner.

Just wide.

“It was a big chance,” Richardson said. “Tom's got there and you think it's a goal but it wasn't to be.

“We've got only a certain number of bodies to pick from.

“We've just played against two teams with a plethora of talent.

“Our small group of players, they make themselves available and are representing themselves really well. We will lick our wounds a little bit and move on.”

Defeat left the bottom-placed club, with three matches remaining, still needing one point to beat the division's record low mark of 23 that they set themselves seven years ago.

The weather hadn't been kind on the Welsh coast. The rain never really cleared and a wind was blowing in to give a winter feel to spring.

As the team bus, flanked by cloud-shrouded hilltops, eased away from Swansea.com Stadium, the mood in the Millers camp matched the misery of the elements.

If only that Eaves' header had been as precise as Rinomhota's.

Swansea (4-2-3-1): Carl Rushworth; Josh Key, Ben Cabango, Harry Darling, Josh Tymon; Jay Fulton (Liam Walsh 72), Matt Grimes; Ronald (Aimar Govea 72), Ollie Cooper (Jamal Lowe 65), Jamie Paterson; Liam Cullen. Subs not used: Andy Fisher, Jerry Yates, Charlie Patino, Mykola Kuharevich, Bashir Humphreys, Azeem Abdulai.

Rotherham (3-4-2-1): Viktor Johansson; Hakeem Odoffin, Lee Peltier, Cameron Humphreys (Shane Ferguson 85); Seb Revan, Andy Rinomhota, Sam Clucas (Arvin Appiah 62), Cohen Bramall; Ollie Rathbone, Cafu (Charlie Wyke 85); Sam Nombe (Tom Eaves 72). Subs not used: Dillon Phillips, Femi Seriki, Ben Hatton.

Goals: Rinomhota og 75 (Swansea).

Referee: Leigh Doughty (Lancashire).

Attendance: 15,327 (221).