West Brom 2 Rotherham United 1 - Report and pictures

Albion were second-best for large parts against Rotherham United, who were relegated by this defeat, and they fell deservedly behind five minutes after half-time to a Clark Robertson header that only just crossed the line.

But a deadly Jay Rodriguez penalty in the 77th minute followed by Rekeem Harper's thunderous first goal for the club in the 79th minute turned this game on its head and turned a poor day at the office into a satisfactory one.

Albion smelt of a team in limbo, desperate to avoid injury ahead of the play-offs, and they only really woke up after falling behind.

Only Wigan have a worse away record than the Millers this season, but Rotherham were 15 minutes away from a huge victory.

However, this Albion team has proven time and time again this season they are capable of scoring goals, and also capable of coming from behind.

They should have had far more than two here, with Matt Phillips and Hal Robson-Kanu both missing easy one-on-ones in the final moments.

A third comeback win at home under Shan, following similar responses against Birmingham City and Hull City, leaves them in pole position for fourth place and home advantage in the second leg.

They are five points ahead of Aston Villa and two points behind Leeds United ahead of those two sides meeting tomorrow.

This was Albion's first ever home win in a league fixture against Rotherham, having failed to record victory on the previous three occasions, but the Baggies have always been promoted when they've been in the same division as the Millers.

With Millwall drawing with Stoke earlier in the day, Rotherham desperately needed three points to keep their slim survival hopes alive.

But their preparation started unfortunately, with Jerry Yates withdrawing at late notice to illness, meaning Paul Warne only named six substitutes.

Albion fans are keenly aware of what awaits them in the play-offs, and they peppered the first five minutes with their favourite anti-Villa chants.

On the pitch, Rotherham's player of the season, Semi Ajayi, caught the first glimpse of goal, but he headed over, before Kyle Bartley blocked a shot.

Two minutes the later the Baggies were given a scare when Clark Robertson smacked the upright with a well-met header from a Joe Newell corner.

And it was the Millers who were looking the more likely, playing some neat passing football in midfield before their final ball let them down.

It took 40 mintues for Albion to have their first shot when Gayle and Rodriguez combined down the right flank, but the top scorer's effort was tame and easily gathered by Marek Rodak.

Two minutes later and Brunt skied a long-range effort, as the home fans serenaded Peter Odemwingie walking around the pitch. For once, Albion were lacking a clinical edge Odemwingie used to provide.

Paul Warne's men had been the best side in the first half and they finished it on top.

Kyle Bartley nearly inadvertently flicked on a long throw into his own net, but Craig Dawson was on hand to clear off the line and save his fellow centre-back's blushes.

But Albion's goal didn't survive for long because five minutes after the restart the Baggies deservedlty fell behind.

Once again Robertson climbed highest at a set-piece, and this time his header was on target.

Despite the best efforts of Chris Brunt, who hooked it back onto the bar and into Sam Johnstone's arms, referee Robert Jones decided the ball had crossed the line and awarded the goal.

Rodriguez tried to draw Albion level soon after with an acrobatic attempt that screwed wide, as the Baggies finally added some urgency to their play.

Gayle missed a chance on the turn he would usually gobble up, as frustrations began to show.

Shan turned to Matt Phillips with 25 minutes to go and the winger's first contribution was to find Mason Holgate in space at the far post.

The wing-back took the ball down brilliantly to set himself, before blazing over an easy chance.

Albion were pushing forward, and their centre-backs started to step out with the ball adventurously.

Rodak was eventually called into action in the second half with just over 15 minutes to go when he tipped over Holgate's cross-come-shot towards the far post.

But the Baggies eventually made the breakthrough 13 minutes from time thanks to a Jay Rodriguez penalty clinically dispatched into the top corner.

Albion had wanted a spot-kick moments earlier for handball, but that was waved away.

However, when Gayle was upended by Anthony Forde after Kieran Gibbs had burst into the box, Robert Jones pointed to the spot.

The scores weren't level for long, because three minutes later the Baggies were ahead.

When the ball broke free on the edge of the box, Harper reacted quickest, thundering a left-footed drive into the bottom corner to complete a dramatic turnaround.

He wheeled away to the corner of the Birmingham Road End and Halford's Lane to celebrate his first senior goal for the club.

Rotherham had to flood forward, and they left huge gaps at the back, but Phillips wasted a chance to wrap up the points with a one-on-one from the halfway line.

That wasn't the worse miss though, because substitute Hal Robson-Kanu had an even easier one-on-one that he screwed wide in injury time after being put through by Gayle.

There was still time for some drama in injury time, when Newell cracked the crossbar from the edge of the box before Rodak came up for the corner, but Rotherham couldn't find the equaliser.

The Baggies took a lap of appreciation after the game, but this won't be the last game at The Hawthorns this season.

The next one will be far more intense, and you feel they will have to show up for more than just the last 30 minutes to win it.

KEY MOMENTS

17 WOODWORK - Robertson smacks the upright with a header from a Newell corner.

20 A pigeon flies into one of the boxes before being cheered when it eventually emerges.

44 OFF THE LINE - Dawson saves Bartley's blushes, after the centre-back nearly flicks on a long throw into his own net.

50 GOAL ROTHERHAM - Robertson climbs highest and nods a free-kick over the line despite Brunt's best efforts to clear it onto the crossbar.

70 Holgate blazes over after being found by Phillips.

77 GOAL ALBION - Rodriguez puts his penalty into the top corner after Gayle is upended.

79 GOAL ALBION - Harper thunders a left-footed shot into the bottom corner for his first goal for the club.

90+4 CROSSBAR - Newell smacks the top of the crossbar from the edge of the box.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Rekeem Harper - An all-action second half performance included his first senior goal that won the match.

POSITION IN THE TABLE

4th, with 80 points from 45 games.

TEAMS

Albion (3-5-2): Johnstone; Dawson, Bartley, Hegazi; Holgate, Harper, Brunt (c), Johansen (Phillips 67), Gibbs; Rodriguez, Gayle.

Unused subs: Bond, Adarabioyo, Townsend, Field, Murphy, Robson-Kanu.

Rotherham (4-1-4-1): Rodak; Jones (Vassell 83), Ihiekwe, Robertson, Mattock; Ajayi; Forde (Williams 83), Vaulks (Towell 71), Crooks, Newell; Smith.

Unused subs: Price, Wood, Taylor.

Referee: Robert Jones