Millwall move six points clear of Championship drop-zone – but boss Neil Harris felt it should have been a second away win of the campaign

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

Millwall extended their gap over the bottom three to six points after today’s 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough – but Lions chief Neil Harris felt his team were really unlucky not to bag a second away win of the campaign.

Jed Wallace had put the Lions in front on 22 minutes.

Jordan Hugill scored a 90th-minute penalty for the hosts after it was ruled that Daniel Ayala had been fouled in the box.

Manager Harris said: “I’m disappointed with the goal, of course.

“I’ve only seen it from one angle and I don’t think it is a penalty. But that’s where my frustration finishes because up until that and even after that, it is certainly the best performance we’ve produced this season.

“On the counter-attack and shape-wise we certainly controlled it. The game went exactly as we wanted it to go – certainly felt let down by the official. But we could have been out of sight. We should’ve scored again in the first half.

“But as a performance full of energy, character, ability and discipline on the ball – I don’t think you’ll see many better performances here at Middlesbrough this season.”

Harris made five changes to his starting line-up.

He said: “As you’ve seen this week everyone does a lot of research into the opposition. We certainly do our fair share. We knew we had to deal physically with Boro – set-pieces and second balls – because they are so good at it.

“We thought we could get after them on the counter-attack, that at home there would be pressure for them to get after us. We thought we could have the energy and legs to break forward. I’m delighted how that panned out for us.

“The changes are part of football. You sometimes pick a team for a certain game. There are some individuals disappointed today but they might be back in the team next week.”

The Lions were leading against Boro in both matches this season going into stoppage time. On the opening day the Teessiders snared a 2-2 draw.

“Tony [Pulis] is about as honest as you’re going to come across as a manager and he said afterwards at The Den that they deserved nothing,” said Harris.

“I’d like to think we deserved the three points today with the performance. But when you’re a team at the top fighting for promotion and we’re still scrapping a little bit – we are starting to look above us – that is how the games go.

“Some of my leaders are still quite young, in their 20s. They have to learn to manage games without the reliability of senior players around them. The younger players certainly need to learn. We have to try and learn from this and see games out.”

New loan signing Ben Marshall came straight into the starting line-up.

“He was excellent – I thought the team was excellent,” said Harris. “Him and Jed Wallace in the wide areas were probably the best players on the pitch.”

PICTURES BY BRIAN TONKS