No faulting Lions’ effort against West Brom – but lack of a finishing touch is a worry

WEST BROM 2
Gayle 68 Gibbs 76
MILLWALL 0
BY JAKE SANDERS AT THE HAWTHORNSMillwall manager Neil Harris demanded a response from his players after last week’s derby defeat at QPR – and was satisfied by his side’s efforts despite leaving The Hawthorns empty-handed.

The defeat was the Lions’ fifth reverse of the Championship campaign and sees them drop into the relegation zone for the first time since August 2017. They have one league victory from their opening nine games.

The clash with West Bromwich Albion is one that Millwall will look back on with regrets. Harris’ side dominated the opening 45 minutes but were unable to turn their superiority into goals – and their lack of a finishing touch is becoming a worrying statistic. It’s now just seven goals in nine games this season, with only four in their last 520 minutes of Championship action.

Even more concerning is that no Lions player has found the net more than once in the league this term. Lee Gregory, Aiden O’Brien, Jake Cooper, Shaun Williams, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Murray Wallace and Jed Wallace are all level on one goal each.Millwall have been guilty of missing a glut of chances of late, but that wasn’t the case against Darren Moore’s side. Opportunities were few and far between and the Baggies proved to be every bit as stubborn as expected.

There were three of note during the first-half. Jed Wallace had two of them, with the other falling at the feet of Steve Morison. The captain’s effort had plenty of precision, but lacked power and Sam Johnstone safely gathered in the West Brom goal. Morison’s last goal for Millwall came in the 1-1 draw with Sheffield United in mid-April.

Former Manchester and Aston Villa shotstopper Johnstone was nearly the villain moments earlier as his half-clearance almost allowed Jed Wallace to convert from 35 yards, but Craig Dawson was there to rescue his goalkeeper and scurried back to his goal-line before heading away from danger.West Brom started the second-half in a higher gear and the only surprise was how long it took them to break the deadlock.

Dwight Gayle’s 68th-minute goal summed up Millwall’s luck in recent weeks. Ben Amos made a wonderful save to deny Ahmed Hegazi, but unfortunately for the Lions, the ball struck the crossbar before landing at the feet of the former Crystal Palace poacher, who accepted the opportunity and gobbled it up from no more than a few yards out.

Before the visitors could settle down, they trailed by two. Kieran Gibbs arrowed a shot into the far corner and Millwall were staring down the barrel of a fourth away league loss on the bounce.The remainder of the game was a non-contest – substitute O’Brien’s curling effort the only chance of note – and their failure to score leaves them as the Championship’s lowest scorers on the road this season with just one goal.

Millwall have little time to dwell on this result with another four games to come in the next 12 days, starting with tonight’s EFL Cup third round tie against Fulham at The Den.The Lions boss admitted that winning this evening’s clash isn’t a priority, but it’s crucial in terms of gathering momentum at The Den ahead of two tough-looking league fixtures against Sheffield United on Saturday and then Aston Villa on October 7.

Changes are expected for the visit of the west Londoners, and the likes of David Martin, Conor McLaughlin, Jem Karacan, Shane Ferguson and Tom Elliott should all get valuable minutes under their belts.

Tom Bradshaw is cup-tied after featuring for Barnsley earlier in the competition, meaning one of Gregory or Morison will partner Elliott in attack.

Progression would see Millwall into the fourth round for the first time since 1995-1996 when they reached the quarter-finals before losing at Swindon Town.Not only is it also a derby, but a chance for the Lions to get some revenge back on Fulham, who all but ended their play-off hopes with a 3-0 victory at The Den in late April.

Millwall (4-4-2):  Amos 7, Romeo 6, Webster 7, Cooper 6, Meredith 6 (Elliott 84), J Wallace 6, Williams 5, Leonard 5, Skalak 6 (O’Brien 72), Morison 5, Bradshaw 6 (Gregory 75). Not used: Martin, M Wallace, McLaughlin, Karacan.

IMAGES BY BRIAN TONKS