THERE was probably no-one happier for Pablo Counago when he scored Town's equaliser at West Ham than Tommy Miller, writes Derek Davis.The duo joined the club together in the summer of 2001, with the Spaniard arriving on a Bosman free from Celta Vigo and Miller for almost £1m from Hartlepool.

THERE was probably no-one happier for Pablo Counago when he scored Town's equaliser at West Ham than Tommy Miller, writes Derek Davis.

The duo joined the club together in the summer of 2001, with the Spaniard arriving on a Bosman free from Celta Vigo and Miller for almost £1m from Hartlepool.

Each have had their ups and downs in terms of injury and form but while Miller has been ever present this season, Counago has struggled to convince manager Joe Royle to play him and not sell him.

All that dissipated at Upton Park when the Spaniard netted his second goal in three games in his first league start of the season.

The duo also produced some terrific link-up play together and Miller was unfortunate not to add to his four goals so far this season.

Miller said: "Pablo signed at the same time as I did and we built up an understanding straight away in pre-season games and in training.

"I have said all along how much I enjoy playing with him. On his day he is a fantastic centre forward and I was so pleased he got his goal and pleased that he was playing.

"He loves the ball to his feet and nine times out of ten when you do that he gives it back to you. He is a great player to play with.

"He showed that the first chance I had. I knew where he was going to be and where he wants the ball and that's what happened.

"I played it to him and he laid it off for me. I tried to curl it over, but he was a big keeper and saved it."

Only Stephen Bywater foiled Miller, who at least had the satisfaction of seeing his first save go for a corner which resulted in Counago's goal.

Miller said: "I had a couple of chances and I was disappointed with the first one but at least we scored from the resulting corner.

"The keeper made a good save for the first one to tip it over the bar."

On the balance of play Miller felt the point to leave them in fourth place was deserved. He said: "We had a bit of fortune which we perhaps weren't getting last season. It was a stonewall penalty and you would not have expected a player with his (Sheringham's) experience to miss it, but he scuffed it and I was delighted it went wide.

"We were a lot better in the second half and we deserved the point.

"West Ham are a massive club who deserve to be in the Premiership and it was always going to be a great game.

"But we have shown how far we have come with the new players and matched West Ham."

Man of the Match Miller praised contender Kelvin Davis, who was forgiven for conceding the penalty that Teddy Sheringham missed.

He said: "Kelvin has been fantastic this season keeping us in games and he made a couple of brilliant saves against West Ham – I really don't know how he got to them."

Miller is hoping to keep up his run of consecutive appearances this season with an outing at Doncaster Rovers in the Carling Cup tomorrow, which would take him to 100 games for Town.