Is this the 'worst refereeing call ever?' Fans slam 'astonishing' decision to give West Brom a penalty for hand ball during win vs Rotherham... after the ball hit Lee Peltier OUTSIDE the box

West Brom claimed a 2-0 victory against Rotherham on Wednesday night in controversial circumstances, after a penalty was awarded against Millers winger Lee Peltier for hand ball, despite the ball striking him outside of the box. 

Carlos Corberan's side tightened their grip on a spot in the play-offs, with Brandon Thomas-Asante putting the hosts ahead after 23 minutes, netting 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 spot to seal the win. 

But the decision to award the penalty has been branded as 'astonishng' and a 'disgrace' by some fans online after Thomas-Asante had wound up another shot from long-range that was blocked by Peltier. 

The winger, who had advanced to the edge of the D, had jumped to block the striker's attempt and had seemed to raise his arms and turned his body towards the shot.

West Brom subsequently appealed to referee Geoff Eltringham to award the penalty with Rotherham left aghast at the decision. 

He subsequently pointed to the spot, with Millers assistant coach Rob Kelly being shown a yellow card for protesting with officials on the touchline. 

Sam Cluclus had reportedly told journalists that the referee had told them that the hand ball was 'miles inside the area'. 

Journalist Paul Davies wrote on X (formerly Twitter): 'Sam Clucas says ref told #rufc players penalty incident was 'miles inside' the box.'

After the match, former Rotherham manager Ronnie Moore admitted his shock at the decision, claiming that the 'officials had cost' them the match.   

'It's unbelievable,' he told the BBC. 'I've never seen anything like that in my life. How on earth has he given a penalty there?

'The second goal changed the game. The referee has cost us there whilst it's 1-0 you're always in the game.'

The result means Rotherham stay bottom of the Championship table, having won just once in their last five matches and are now 19 points away from Birmingham - who sit one spot above them.

Some fans took to social media to hit out at the penalty decision, with one writing: 'That penalty decision has got to be up there with being one of the worst decisions ever!'

One West Brom supporter added: '@RotherhamUnited Disgraceful decision, as a baggies fan I'm embarrassed.'

Another fan said that it didn't look to strike the Peltier's arm: 'To say the decision to award West Brom that penalty against #rufc was absolutely astonishing would be a huge understatement. Outside the box and didn't look like handball, either.'

'As an Albion fan I'll take it all day long. But man, that is horrific refereeing. Not in a million years is that a penalty #wba.'

With Norwich drawing on Tuesday evening against Sheffield Wednesday, the Baggies have opened up 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 back to the Premier League after they were relegated in 2021. 

'I think it was very important for us to achieve the three points today because after the last international break, we were playing three games where we could only get a draw in each of them,' he said after the match.

'So to recover the feeling of the win was very important.

'People can understand and see the table and think that Rotherham will be an easy game. But it's true that two games ago, they were beating Millwall and yesterday, Millwall were beating Leicester - the team who is top of the league.

'It means everything you achieve in the football pitch is the consequence of the work that you put in.'

He added: 'If we recover our level and we compete consistently at that level, then we're going to have more options to win games and the more games you win, the more options you have to secure a place in the play-offs.'