Reading 1 Rotherham United 0 - Neil Warnock perplexed as Millers pay the penalty and lose ground

The Millers were denied what looked like a clear foul on midfielder Richie Smallwood five minutes before the break, with Johnson opting to penalise Smallwood for diving.

That denied Warnock’s men a chance to go in front and they were punished after the break as Hal Robson-Kanu’s 66th-minute goal settled a low-quality affair at the Madejski Stadium.

Their 21st defeat of the season leaves the Millers six points from safety, but Warnock was only interested in the referee’s performance.

“It was a definite penalty on Richie Smallwood,” he said. “I have watched it. You need a bit of luck when you’re down there.

“For me it was a certain penalty, we have watched it time and time again, it wasn’t simulation.

“I thought that decision summed his first half right up, I think he has had better nights.

“I have been to see him and tried to educate him. You need a bit of luck and you need people to see what’s there.”

Rotherham have taken just a point from Warnock’s three games at the helm after he was brought in to inspire a great escape.

“I am very disappointed,” he added. “We have played three games since I have been here and we could have got a result in every game.

“We are really working hard, we had a couple of good chances and I don’t think Lee Camp has had a shot to save. We have lost it to a mistake and we should know better.

“That’s why we are down there. We have shot ourselves in the foot. We have given ourselves a chance of getting results in the games, we are just lacking a bit of quality.

“I have only been in here for three games, I think I would be on anti-depressants if I’d been here all season.”

Reading counterpart Brian McDermott declared it “job done” and was not bothered about the nature of their first home victory since January 2.

The Royals were nowhere near the level which saw them beat West Brom in the FA Cup on Saturday, but had enough to get past the Millers.

And McDermott knew his side had to grind it out.

“It was a really tough game, they made it really difficult. The only moment of class in the game won it for us,” he said.

“It’s important to win and get to where we get to, and clean sheets help. It was a good night for us. It wasn’t a great spectacle for us but we have come out on the right side of the result.

“In the Championship, that’s the nature of the beast. You will have games like that.

“Previously we have come out on the wrong side of the result so it’s nice to come out of it on the right side today. It’s job done. The boys have stood up, it was a difficult night but the boys stood up to Rotherham.”

Reading: Al Habsi, Gunter, McShane, Cooper, Obita, Quinn, Hector, Norwood (Rakels 65), Robson-Kanu, Kermorgant, John (McCleary 73). Unused substitutes: Bond, Evans, Ferdinand, Piazon, Cox.

Rotherham United: Camp, Richardson, Broadfoot, Wood, Mattock, Halford (Derbyshire 79), Green (Best 73), Smallwood, Newell, Grant Ward, Clarke-Harris (Thomas 72). Unused substitutes: Kelly, Shinnie, Kenny, Yates.

Referee: Kevin Johnson (Somerset).