The penalty, the disbelief, the debut … the story of West Brom 2 Rotherham United 0

Not because the ball had just smashed into it from close range at a speed of about 70 miles per hour while he was standing at least a yard outside the area.

Because the referee was inexplicably awarding West Bromwich Albion a penalty.

The Rotherham United defender turned 37 last December and is a veteran of well over 500 appearances, but he'd never seen anything like it.

None of us had.

Handball? Handball and a spot-kick?? You had to be County Durham official Geoff Eltringham to think that.

The home side were already leading and took full advantage of their unexpected gift on the stroke of half-time as former Millers loanee John Swift beat Viktor Johansson from 12 yards to tighten their grip on the contest.

The thoughts of Leam Richardson, boss of the injury-hit visitors, are chronicled in another article.

Whatever, he was left with the task at the interval of his marshalling his men who, despite already being relegated from the Championship, were acquitting themselves well against opposition poised to contest the end-of-season promotion play-offs.

“They were all really frustrated,” the head coach said. “It was my job then to keep 11 players on the pitch, to take the emotion out of it.

“We needed to not get a man sent off because, firstly, it was already a tough challenge and, secondly, we don't have enough players available to lose another body.

“The first five minutes back in the dressing room were very volatile. It was my job to bring a calmness to it.

“My message was: ‘Stay competitive, try to win the second half.’”

Rotherham didn't win the second half. However, neither did they lose it. They had a go, weren't good enough to force their way back into Wednesday night's contest but managed to not concede again and restored a vestige of pride after three previous successive woeful defeats on the road.

Swift had fired over and, at the other end, Cafu had threatened with an inswinging corner that was heading in until goalkeeper Alex Palmer intervened before West Brom took a 23rd-minute lead.

Adam Reach crossed low from the left Brandon Thomas-Asante to bury a close-range finish and set Albion on their way to improving their recent record to only one loss in their last 14 matches.

“I thought it was a good game, I enjoyed it,” said Richardson who was able to name only seven substitutes.

“The first goal is disappointing because we should have met them on the sides quicker, which we've spoken about. I thought we were a threat on the counter-attack. Considering the unavailability of so many players, we gave a good account of ourselves.”

The penalty took the encounter beyond Rotherham's reach. After the break, the Millers upped their pace as West Brom eased off theirs and a stalemate ensued at the Hawthorns.

Johansson came off his line so well and spread himself so spectacularly to deny Albion's striker a second goal that neither Thomas or Asante could believe it and even the hyphen grudgingly joined in the applause.

The Millers had sights of the Albion net but never truly caused Palmer any undue concern.

All the while, Richardson's men were being cheered on by 179 hardy souls supporting a team cut 20 points adrift of safety.

The boss, four months into a difficult reign, applauded them before kick-off and at the end and said: "Do you know what, I was really emotional and I'm not an emotional guy.

“I came out and saw a certain number of fans there, I thought: ‘That's what you call real supporters of our club.’

“There's obviously a few per cent who make judgements regardless of what's going on, but 95 per cent of fans know what this club is and the problems we have got and are right behind the side.

“They didn't get the result they wanted but they got a performance.”

With time almost up, a curly-haired kid appeared on the touchline.

Number 42 on his black-shirted back, lime boots, socks that couldn't make up their mind and were half up, half down ...youth-team teenager Ben Hatton was coming on for a first taste of senior football.

He ran about, showed a soft touch on the ball and was anything but a soft touch when he won a wrestle for possession with Swift.

“I'd like to congratulate Ben on making his debut,” Richardson said. “It's a fantastic achievement. His career has started. They'll be priceless moments for him. It's what you work for."

Thomas-Asante skied a golden opportunity in the dying seconds and Rotherham deserved that bit of luck as another goal against them would have been harsh.

All thoughts remained on that earlier flashpoint.

Millers players had surrounded Eltringham, the opposition quietly laughed among themselves, Richardson's number two, Rob Kelly, was booked for protests over the injustice.

No-one inside the stadium could believe any of it. Eltringham apologised after half-time. Too little, too late.

The ref blew the final whistle and, before leaving the pitch, gathered the ball in his hands. Or was it his head? Who knows? I don't think he did.

West Brom (4-2-3-1): Alex Palmer; Darnell Furlong, Kyle Bartley, Cedric Kipre (Semi Ajayi 63) , Adam Reach; Yann M'Vila, Okay Yokuslu (Nathaniel Chalobah 63); Tom Fellows (Matt Phillips 75, John Swift, Mikey Johnston (Grady Diangana 63); Brandon Thomas-Asante (Josh Maja 84). Subs not used: Josh Griffiths, Conor Townsend, Andi Weimann, Alex Mowatt.

Rotherham (3-4-2-1): Viktor Johansson; Hakeem Odoffin, Lee Peltier (Shane Ferguson 79), Cameron Humphreys; Seb Revan, Andy Rinomhota (Ben Hatton 90+1), Sam Clucas (Arvin Appiah 79), Cohen Bramall (Femi Seriki 79); Ollie Rathbone, Cafu; Sam Nombe (Tom Eaves 83). Subs not used: Dillon Phillips, Charlie Wyke.

Goals: Thomas-Asante 23, Swift 45+1 pen (West Brom).

Referee: Geoff Eltringham (County Durham).

Attendance: 22,331 (179).