Millwall cope with player absences as they grind out a big 1-0 victory at Stoke City
BY ALEX GRACE
Gary Rowett praised his Millwall players for grinding out what turned out to be a huge three points against Stoke City.
The Lions completed a Championship double over the Potters to consolidate fifth place in the table ahead of a huge week where they face the two teams directly below them in the table, Luton Town and Norwich City.
Zian Flemming’s 11th goal of the season sealed all three points.
“I felt it was a difficult game for us,” said Rowett. “Not having Burkey (Oliver Burke) available, and not having (Duncan) Watmore available. We knew we were short of numbers. We knew we would be short of energy. I think Sav (George Saville) has played with a groin injury, he probably shouldn’t, but he wanted to get out there. It was one of those games where I thought it would be a tough game.
“Stoke were coming off the back of their good win at Swansea, I thought their tails would be up a bit.
“They moved the ball really well. They’ve made it difficult for us to get out. I didn’t think we played with enough quality to get out, but I felt they made it difficult for us to get out. It was an excellent goal we scored. Sav wins a couple of challenges, plays it to Zian, and we know he’s got the quality when you back off him. He’s got that quality on the edge of the box to be clinical, and it was a wonderful finish, just his instep and curl to find the bottom corner.
“After that, I was probably frustrated for the first half.
“We couldn’t get out with the right energy, and I turned at one point to Robbo (Paul Robinson) and he said: ‘We are just going to have to grind it out today. It’s one of those days’.
“On the back of playing Sheffield United and Burnley, it’s been a tough week, but if one thing is for sure, this team know how to grind it out, this team knows how to win games.
“Whether that’s ugly, in a good way or whatever way – that’s for other people to judge. But the three points were really important today, and we’ve had to work really hard for them.”
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