Unlucky 13 for Millwall on the road in the Championship – our man at Carrow Road gives his opinion

NORWICH CITY 2

Trybull 52 Maddison 77

MILLWALL 1

Morison 44

BY JAKE SANDERS AT CARROW ROAD

It was most certainly unlucky 13 for Millwall as they blew a one-goal lead at Carrow Road on Monday afternoon and remain in search of their first away win of the season.

It is now drawn six, lost seven on the road for the Lions with just six goals scored when they have headed away from their South London stronghold.

The Lions arrived in East Anglia on the back of an impressive December, which should have put manager Neil Harris in the running for the manager of the month award after wins over Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and QPR plus draws against runaway leaders Wolves and Aston Villa.

But if history is anything to go by in the 2017-18, Harris is better off avoiding the accolade. The four managers to achieve it this season have gone on to draw or lose their next match.

Steve Morison’s moment of individual brilliance on the stroke of half-time was as good as it got for Millwall as the Canaries turned the game around in the second-half to earn just their second home victory in their last 10.

If at first you don’t succeed then try and try again. That is unquestionably the attitude of the 34-year-old. Not only had Morison gone 23 games without scoring before his goal against Queens Park Rangers on December 30, but he has attempted to execute that same long-range volley more than once this season. Most notably against QPR in September and more recently at Villa Park in early December, but neither came close to echoing his exquisite strike on New Year’s Day – which won him the Championship goal of the day.

Morison cupped his ear to the home fans during his celebration, just minutes before boos rung out at Carrow Road after Steve Martin blew his whistle for half-time. The Lions had restricted Norwich to mainly shots from outside the box in the opening 45 minutes and were halfway towards their first win on the road this campaign.

What happened in the next 45 minutes was unforgivable.

From the moment Harris entered the press room post-match, you could tell that his players had been on the receiving end of a rare rollicking from their manager.

“Angry, disgraceful, unacceptable”, was the way he described their second-half performance. The Lions chief could not hide his disappointment at the way Millwall defended for Norwich’s first-goal as Tom Trybull outjumped Jake Cooper and looped a header into the far corner. James Maddison completed the turnaround for the hosts, sweeping home with 13 minutes remaining after a fine Alex Pritchard pass.

“I am fuming. I am raging with my players. The second-half performance was a disgrace from my players, I won’t butter it up any other way.”

Jed Wallace and Aiden O’Brien were introduced with 20 minutes left in an attempt to bolster the Lion attacking options, but neither had the desired impact. Lee Gregory was substituted and Morison’s second 90 minutes within the space of four days began to take its toll.

Fred Onyedinma was also withdrawn after making little impact on his first league start since November. Harris pointedly remarked that the players given the chance to impress did not stake a claim for the next game.

Despite that, Millwall’s all-time top goalscorer could ring the changes when his side host Barnsley in the FA Cup third round at The Den tomorrow, meaning Onyedinma may be given another opportunity to showcase his talent.

Millwall’s FA Cup run last season included wins over three Premier League sides – Leicester, Watford and Bournemouth – and provided them with some much-needed confidence in what was part of a 17-game unbeaten run. That run eventually came to an end at White Hart Lane when they were knocked out of the cup by Tottenham in March.

The Lions will be out for revenge against their Championship opponents after losing their last five meetings against The Tykes, including the 2016 League One play-off final. They suffered the same 3-1 scoreline in the league in September.

But Millwall won all five of their FA Cup games on home soil last season, scoring 11 times.