West Brom 2 Rotherham 0 - Report
Albion snapped a three-match drawing streak to coast past hapless relegated Rotherham and make it 10 matches unbeaten to leave a top-six spot all-but secured.
First-half goals from Brandon Thomas-Asante and a controversial John Swift penalty - via referee Geoff Eltringham's awful handball decision on the stroke of half-time - saw Carlos Corberan's side chalk up just a second clean sheet in nine games.
Albion's first win in five attempts under the eye of watching owner Shilen Patel put them nine points clear of Coventry - who do have a game in hand - in seventh. The Sky Blues have just 15 points to play for with Albion's play-off place almost rubber-stamped.
A rotated Baggies side had enough to see off the very limited Millers but did need the help of the officials for one of their goals. Corberan will, at least, be pleased to hand breathers be it from the off or as subs to several key regulars on a welcome return to winning ways. There was also 10 minutes for striker Josh Maja, back in action for the first time since a horrific ankle injury in December.
Corberan sprung a few surprises with his line-up as Yann M'Vila was handed a full debut with a first Baggies start, alongside the recalled the impressive Adam Reach, Tom Fellows and Swift.
Alex Mowatt, Conor Townsend, Jed Wallace - who missed out altogether through illness - and Grady Diangana were the home quartet to make way.
Rotherham fans had not seen a victory on their travels since a 1-0 success at Sheffield Wednesday in November 2022 and, after relegation was confirmed last time out, fewer than a couple of hundred had made the journey from South Yorkshire.
It became clear from the first passage of play Albion would monopolise possession and be forced to generate their own tempo against visitors willing to camp.
Swift might have done better from Fellows' low cross but he lifted over after just two minutes.
Leam Richardson's Millers looked content to camp deep but The Hawthorns was delivered a warning shot after 10 minutes as Sam Clucas prodded way off target following a wayward Kyle Bartley header. The Albion defender nodded a Swift free-kick delivery over shortly afterwards.
Rotherham were encouraged and keen to show they weren't there just to make up the numbers having forced three successive corners, but The Hawthorns woke up as the hosts opened the scoring midway through the half.
It was a lovely goal, too, as Mikey Johnston's ball down the left with the outside of his foot was exquisite and left-back Reach powered to the byline.
The latter took his time to deliver a perfect low cross to the unmarked Thomas-Asante to thrash home from three yards. It was Reach's first goal contribution since he scored against Barnsley on the final of the 2021/22 season.
Fellows tested goalkeeper Viktor Johansson with a low left-footed drive soon after.
Rotherham's Portuguese attacker Cafu lashed haplessly over from a volleyed chance in the box five minutes before the break as the tempo dropped.
The contest looked set to limp into the interval but there was time for controversy as soon as the fourth official gave one minute of stoppages.
From a Darnell Furlong pass, Thomas-Asante rifled a strike from range that struck the raise arm of former Albion defender Lee Peltier inside the D - and outside the box - but referee Geoff Eltringham pointed to the spot.
Huge protests were ignored by Eltringham, who had no help from his team, and Swift stepped up to make little mistake by burying the penalty down the middle. Ex-Albion assistant Rob Kelly, who worked under Alan Irvine, was booked for protesting.
The Millers were riled up after the restart and skipper Ollie Rathbone went inches wide with a deflected strike before Sam Clucas volleyed off-target.
Corberan was able to hand early breathers to Okay Yokuslu, Johnston and Cedric Kipre, and Thomas-Asante should have doubled his tally with Albion's third but couldn't dink over Johansson after fine Johnston play.
Thomas-Asante skied a late chance and might've privately regretted not taking home the matchball before being replaced by Maja for the night's biggest cheer.
Albion (4-2-3-1): Palmer; Furlong, Bartley (c), Kipre (Ajayi, 64), Reach; Yokuslu (Chalobah, 64), M'Vila; Fellows (Phillips, 75), Swift, Johnston (Diangana, 64); Thomas-Asante (Maja, 84).
Subs not used: Griffiths, Townsend, Mowatt, Weimann.
Rotherham (3-4-2-1): Johansson; Odoffin, Humphreys, Peltier (Ferguson, 82); Revan, Clucas (Appiah, 82), Rinomhota (Hatton, 90), Bramall (Seriki, 82); Rathbone (c), Cafu; Nombe (Eaves, 82).
Subs not used: Phillips, Wyke.
Attendance: 22,331 (179 Rotherham fans)
Referee: Geoff Eltringham
