Millwall boss Neil Harris saw “lack of quality” – but not effort – in 1-0 loss at Huddersfield Town

Millwall’s relegation worries were intensified after a 1-0 defeat at Huddersfield Town this afternoon.

The Lions went into the Championship contest with a four-point gap over the bottom three.

But they finished the afternoon with their cushion sliced to two points and with Leicester City, who moved back to the summit with a 2-1 victory over Birmingham City, up next at The Den on Tuesday night.

Millwall, much like at Rotherham United on Monday, had opportunities which they failed to take before they paid a heavy price.

George Honeyman and Michael Obafemi combined to somehow contrive to sent an excellent cross by Ryan Longman wide of the target and there was also a strong penalty appeal after Obafemi’s shot looked to have struck a Huddersfield arm.

Lions captain Jake Cooper headed over from three yards from a 37th-minute corner kick.

Ryan Leonard produced a superb tackle down the other end before the break to deny Josh Koroma after Matija Sarkic turned Delano Burgzorg’s low strike away to his left.

Huddersfield had the chances in the second period with Leonard nearly turning Bojan Radulovic’s cross into his own net with Koroma’s flick before the ball ran wide of the upright thankfully failing to get proper connection.

It was Rhys Healey who broke the deadlock in the fourth minute of stoppage time. The Terriers substitute had already glanced a Sorba Thomas cross wastefully past the far post. But he made no such mistake when a deep corner was met by Matty Pearson, although Sarkic parried it was Healey who eagerly reacted quickest to force home at the second attempt.

The loss, Millwall’s second in a row against drop rivals, leaves the South London club 20th in the standings.

Harris told BBC Radio London: “Huge disappointment. Did the players respond from Monday night’s late defeat at Rotherham? I think they did. No lack of application, effort or desire from the group – I saw a lack of quality definitely. I expect more quality from us as a Championship football team.

“That has been the message from day one, and before I got in, from other people (that Millwall were lacking in that).

“We are what we are at the moment as a group – on and off the pitch. I asked for a stronger mentality after conceding in the 87th minute at Rotherham, in a game we should’ve won.

“We had it for long spells but to concede a second phase set-play is really disappointing because we knew in the conditions, and the threat that they carry, that set-pieces were going to be vital. Players can’t keep making the same mistakes. I haven’t got a transfer window to change anything. The message to the players, with a game on Tuesday night, is be the best that you can be and again we have to make improvements all the time.

“Too many times we had a couple of really good chances – nigh on open goals – and we didn’t score. The amount of times we got into the final third and we don’t complete a pass or we misplace a pass. These are moments that I’m sometimes watching Championship footballers and thinking I can’t believe that we can’t complete a pass from 15 yards. Are we proactive enough and front-footed enough to receive the ball? These are the little bits that we can control them, players can control them.

“What would really help us is getting a couple of players back off the treatment table. That would certainly improve us and give us options, whether that is starting or off the pitch.”