Luke Williams challenged his Swansea players to secure a top-half finish in the Sky Bet Championship following their 1-0 victory over Rotherham.

The Swans controlled proceedings against the already-relegated Millers, but needed an Andy Rinomhota own goal in the 74th minute to earn victory.

It ensured Swansea claimed back-to-back wins for only the second time under Williams, while they also kept successive clean sheets for the first time under the head coach following a 3-0 triumph over Stoke in midweek.

Williams – whose side sit five points adrift of the top 12 in the Championship with three matches left to play this season – wants Swansea to fight to secure a top-half berth.

“The players have got to show that they’ll continue to run hard and fight for everything and not try and take it easy,” he said.

“I need to see the character that they have. Whatever the circumstances, whatever the position, they’ll apply themselves, that’s a group I want.

“It’s when things get more complicated then you need to know you’ve got the right characters. I want to see that from everybody in the last three games, as a minimum.

“That’s (top-half aim) a good challenge. Let’s go and make really good performances, and see how many points we can pick up.”

On the long-term picture for Swansea, Williams added: “We’re nearly a good team. We have a really big summer and then we can do something exciting.

“I need to continue to try and find solutions for the team to help them be more creative. I need to get the balance right.

“Of course, we have to try to get the right personnel that are going to thrive. If we do all of that, we’re going to be alright.”

Meanwhile, Leam Richardson felt defeat in south Wales was “cruel” for his side after they appeared destined to secure only a second away league clean sheet this season until Rinomhota’s unfortunate own goal.

“It’s a cruel game at times,” said the Rotherham boss.

“The goal conceded, obviously it’s cruel because Andy’s been very good and he’s been committed.

“Coming from Wednesday night away at West Brom and then back on the coach again, travelling down to Swansea with a small number of players, it’s commendable.

“The lads who have made themselves available and put the work ethic in today. Credit to Swansea on the victory.

“We know where we are. We know which moment we are in and we know how we want to go forward with it. We want to put our best foot forward to return to this level and be a better version of ourselves.”

Swansea City all-but secured their Sky Bet Championship status as Andy Rinomhota’s own-goal earned them a 1-0 win over relegated Rotherham.

Luke Williams’ side dominated throughout and saw Liam Cullen, Jamie Paterson and Ronald all have chances to bulge the net.

But midfielder Rinomhota turned into his own net from a corner in the 74th minute to hand Swansea all three points.

Victory leaves Swansea eight points clear of the relegation zone with three matches left to play, while Rotherham remain bottom and without an away league triumph this season.

Buoyed by their emphatic 3-0 win over Stoke three days earlier, the Swans were on the front foot from the outset in south Wales.

The first chance fell to the hosts as Paterson pounced on Sebastian Revan’s heavy touch before threading through to Cullen, whose low driven effort was kept out by Viktor Johansson.

It set the tone for what was to come as Leam Richardson’s side desperately struggled to get hold of possession.

Rotherham’s only effort of note saw former Swan Sam Clucas – who was regularly jeered by the home supporters – scuff a volley wide on 19 minutes.

The Millers looked every bit a side without an away league win in 34 matches, but, despite dominating possession, Swansea struggled to test Johansson after Cullen’s early effort.

While their control was evident, Jay Fulton’s unorthodox header from a short free-kick routine typified Swansea’s lack of cutting edge in the final third.

But they appeared destined to go ahead three minutes before half-time when Paterson robbed Cameron Humphreys of the ball just inside Rotherham’s half before charging down on goal, although his tame effort was comfortably saved by Johansson.

Brazilian winger Ronald then stung the palms of Johansson with a thumping strike from the edge of the box as the contest remained level at the break.

There was precious little for either side to shout about after the restart as the pattern of the contest remained the same.

Shortly after Harry Darling’s driven strike was blocked, Ronald’s half-volley was comfortably gathered by Johansson.

Josh Tymon then picked out Cullen whose header looped wide as Williams sent on Jamal Lowe with 25 minutes left on the clock.

Rinomhota blazed well over from distance following a rare foray forwards from the visitors, who sent on Tom Eaves while Liam Walsh and Aimar Govea entered the fray for Swansea.

But the decisive moment came in the 74th minute as substitute Walsh’s corner was headed into his own net by Rinomhota.

Rotherham’s best chance came with the final play of the game as Arvin Appiah crossed to Eaves, whose header flashed wide at the death.

It ensured hosts claimed back-to-back wins for the second time under Williams, with Rotherham losing for the third game running after failing to register a single shot on target at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Watford gave their season the much-needed boost it required with a 1-0 win at struggling Rotherham.

Both teams went into the fixture out of form and on the back of three straight defeats but Yaser Asprilla’s second-half winner helps Valerien Ismael’s team to look up again.

Watford won the reverse fixture 5-0 but were happy to walk away from this one with a much narrower winning margin and were clinging on by the end.

Neat interplay between Hakeem Odoffin and Peter Kioso led to Rotherham’s first chance with Odoffin just firing off target from Kioso’s pull-back.

Andy Rinomhota also shot off target on the volley after Sean Morrison’s long throw dropped nicely for him.

Watford’s first effort came from lone striker Mileta Rajovic but his header, from Asprilla’s cross, dropped wide of goal.

Asprilla then came close himself with his effort from the edge of the box deflected onto the roof of the goal.

Kioso tested Ben Hamer for the first time in the match as he got on the end of Ollie Rathbone’s free-kick.

The home side started the second half on top and strongly appealed for a penalty when Rinomhota went down in the box.

Giorgi Chakvetadze was brought on by Ismael and he almost had a swift impact as he slipped Rajovic through but quick-thinking from Viktor Johansson stopped the attack.

Watford took the lead in the 58th minute when a corner eventually found its way to Asprilla on the edge of the box and he lashed an unstoppable drive into the bottom corner.

Rotherham boss Leam Richardson made a treble change in the hope of getting back into the game but it was starter Seb Revan who twice tried his luck in as many minutes.

The first effort was slashed at but the second would have temporarily worried Hamer before it trickled just wide of the post.

One of the new men, Jordan Hugill, could not get enough of a contact on a backpost header which again drifted wide.

An intervention from Jake Livermore denied Rotherham a leveller as he blocked a header from Tom Eaves after a Sam Clucas free-kick. From the resulting corner Morrison headed just off target.

Tom Ince had a good chance to put the game to bed after being slipped through by Livermore but his effort was wildly off target.

Watford skipper Wesley Hoedt was then in the perfect position to deny Rinomhota’s driven effort from going in.

Rotherham continued to push into added time and a looping header from Odoffin landed on the roof of the net.