Millwall boss Harris on substituting two-goal hero Lee Gregory, team selection choices and Ryan Leonard being off the mark

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

Neil Harris revealed his reasons for taking Lee Gregory off in today’s 3-0 win over Ipswich Town – even though the striker was on for a hat-trick.

The striker scored twice to put the Lions into a comfortable lead before Ryan Leonard netted.

But Gregory made way in the closing stages with Tom Bradshaw replacing him.

“You could say he was a little bit frustrated at me taking him off but that is the type of character he is – he wants to play every minute,” said Millwall manager Harris.

“But I wanted to get Tom Bradshaw on the pitch. Lee had also got a knock as well in the first half. And while it was a good opportunity to get a third goal there was also an opportunity to get injured.

“I wanted to give Tom some minutes at The Den.”

Harris made two changes to his starting line-up with Jed Wallace missing with a calf strain while Murray Wallace was preferred at left-back, James Meredith making way for Shaun Hutchinson.

“We don’t know the severity of Jed’s injury. He tried to train on Thursday and wasn’t ready.

“Murray has been outstanding for us over the last month or so and I didn’t really want to take him out. James Meredith has had a long summer – his performances haven’t been quite at the level where they were week in and week out last year, but he is still a very good defender.

“I’ve seen Murray play quite a lot at left-back last season, he is a very good crosser of the ball.”

It was only Millwall’s second clean sheet of the Championship campaign.

“That wasn’t our best performance,” said Harris. “I thought it was extremely professional. We could’ve played much better at 3-0 up, but I don’t give a damn about that. I wanted a clean sheet. The team and the goalkeeper wanted a clean sheet.

“It’s not easy for Ipswich, the position they are in [bottom and with a managerial change]. But it is not easy for us either because you can’t prepare – you don’t know what formation you are going to face.

“But without being at our best we were clinical at key moments. We created some chances, not as many as we have been.”

Millwall have taken 10 points from a possible 15.

“We’ve been outstanding at The Den this season,” said Harris. “But we have got two away games coming up and we have got to improve away from home.

“We had a tough September. We’re not the finished article. You don’t just keep getting results because of what has happened in the last three years. You have to work harder and harder at it.

“We didn’t get some of the rewards we deserved. There were some half decent performances and hopefully the clean sheet today spells the end of the bad luck we’e had regarding referee decisions.

“Even after we lost 3-1 at Reading we knew how good we were and how lucky Reading were. It’s just about being positive.”

Club record signing Leonard opened his goal account.

“Ryan went close in the first half with his chest and volley – it would have been one of the goals of the season if he had scored that. He showed good composure for the goal and it will give him lots of confidence. He has got one [goal] and Shaun [Williams] has got four. Ryan Tunnicliffe got one at Sheffield Wednesday. You can’t just rely on the strikers.

“Ryan Leonard is not George Saville and he is not going to be George Saville ever in his career. They have got different attributes. But the way we play, our central midfielders will get chances.”

IMAGES BY KEITH GILLARD