West Brom secured a 2-0 win against Rotherham on Wednesday night in controversial circumstances, after Millers winger Lee Peltier was awarded a penalty for handball despite the ball hitting him outside the area. .
Carlos Corberan’s side secured a place in the play-offs, and Brandon Thomas-Asante put the hosts ahead in the 23rd minute, scoring his 12th goal of the season from close range.
On the stroke of half-time the Baggies would double their lead with John Swift scoring from the penalty spot to seal the victory.
But the decision to award the penalty has been described as “surprising” and “embarrassing” by some fans online after Thomas-Asante took another long-range shot that was blocked by Peltier.
The winger, who had advanced to the edge of the D, jumped to block the striker’s attempt and appeared to raise his arms and turn his body toward the shot.
West Brom beat Rotherham 2-0 at Hawthorns after controversial handball decision
Brandon Thomas-Asante’s shot appeared to hit Lee Peltier outside the box.
Subsequently, referee Geoff Geoff Eltringham penalized West Brom for handball.
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West Brom subsequently appealed to referee Geoff Eltringham to award the penalty and Rotherham were left horrified by the decision.
He later pointed to the spot and Millers assistant coach Rob Kelly received a yellow card for protesting to the referees on the touchline.
Sam Cluclus had reportedly told reporters that the referee had told them the handball was “kilometres inside the box”.
Journalist Paul Davies wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Sam Clucas says referee told #rufc players’ penalty incident was ‘miles inside’ the area.”
After the match, former Rotherham manager Ronnie Moore admitted his surprise at the decision and claimed that “the referees had cost them” the match.
“It’s incredible,” he told the BBC. ‘I have never seen anything like this in my life. How the hell did it hurt there?
‘The second goal changed the game. The referee has cost us that when it is 1-0 you are always in the game.”
The result means Rotherham remain at the bottom of the Championship table, having won just once in their last five games and are now 19 points behind Birmingham, who sit one place above them.
Some fans took to social media to criticize the penalty decision, with one writing: “That penalty decision has to be up there with being one of the worst decisions ever!”
One West Brom fan added: “@RotherhamUnited Shameful decision, as a baggie fan I’m embarrassed.”
Another fan said it didn’t appear to hit Peltier’s arm: “To say the decision to award West Brom that penalty against #rufc was absolutely surprising would be an understatement.” He was outside the area and it didn’t look like handball either.
‘As an Albion fan, I’ll take it all day. But man, that’s horrible officiating. Not in a million years is that a shame #wba.’
Rotherham players protested to the referee after awarding the penalty to the home team
John Swift celebrates after scoring the controversial penalty that has generated reactions on social networks
Paul Davis reported that the referee had told Sam Clucas that the penalty was ‘miles inside the area’
Several fans criticized the decision, with one saying: “As a Baggies fan, I’m embarrassed.”
With Norwich drawing on Tuesday night against Sheffield Wednesday, the Baggies have opened a four-point gap between themselves and the Canaries, following a trio of draws against Milwall, Wolves and Stoke.
After the match, Corberan stressed the importance of returning to winning ways as West Brom hope to secure promotion to the Premier League after relegation in 2021.
“I think it was very important for us to get the three points today because after the last international break we were playing three games in which we could only get a draw in each of them,” he said after the game.
“So recovering the feeling of victory was very important.
‘People can understand and look at the table and think Rotherham will be an easy game. But it is true that two games ago they beat Millwall and yesterday Millwall beat Leicester, the team that is leading the league.
Thomas-Asante would score the first goal in the 23rd minute to put the hosts ahead.
Rotherham manager Leam Richardson’s side remain bottom of the Championship table
Carlos Corberán said it was good to return to winning ways after recent indifferent results
“It means that everything you achieve on the football field is a result of the work you put in.”
He added: “If we get back to our level and compete consistently at that level, then we are going to have a better chance of winning games and the more games you win, the more chance you have of securing a place in the play-offs.” .’