Millwall boss gives his verdict on FA Cup victory and performance of debutant Danny McNamara

Gary Rowett was pleased with the professional approach of his Millwall side as they made sure that Boreham Wood did not make them an FA Cup scalp.

Kenneth Zohore and Shaun Hutchinson scored the goals as the Lions secured safe passage to round four of the tournament.

Rowett said: “Really professional. It’s always difficult – we’re coming off the back of not the most confidence and not the best results. You look at playing against a highly-motivated non-league side – their facilities are good and they were organised well. They’ve won their last five in the league and they probably sensed a bit of an opportunity.

“To take that opportunity away you’ve got to have the correct mentality. If you’re mentality is right and you work hard enough then our ability and energy will shine through in the end. I think it did. We’d have liked to have done it for longer periods.

“The first goal was well-worked and I think we’ve had 29 shots to their four. It was pretty dominant. We should’ve scored more goals but while it’s 1-0 the game hangs in the balance. You only have to make one mistake.

“There was a lot of pressure on the referee every time someone went down in the box or there was a tackle, there was an appeal for a penalty – which is fine, that’s what you’re going to do. He managed the game reasonably well. It was a physical game.

“We moved the ball around for a period after both goals and that’s confidence. You can’t give players that – the scoreline and state of the game dictates that. We’ve got to do that when the game is 0-0.

“The second goal is a corner set-piece routine that we’ve worked on. That takes the game away from Boreham Wood. If that doesn’t go in and we continue to not cause them enough problems from set-pieces then it gives them a chance of their own.

“I’m not going to get too carried away. But it’s a step in the right direction. It could’ve been a really, really difficult tie. As the Millwall manager you feel like you’ve only got something to lose in these type of games and therefore I’m pleased with the way we didn’t really allow Boreham Wood the chance to get anything from the game.”

Rowett made eight changes for the trip to the National League side – including handing a debut to Danny McNamara at right wing-back.

Millwall recently recalled the youngster from his loan at St Johnstone.

Rowett said: “It’s one of the reasons I played the formation, because I felt it was an easy one for Danny to slot back into. It means a young player, who is coming back, does not have to think about too much tactically – he’s played that way for 20 games. It also shows the confidence of a young player going out to the SPL and doing really well and coming back a different player.

“We’ve brought him back to genuinely challenge to be in the team.

“In Tyler Burey, and three or four behind that, we’ve got players who are very, very talented young Millwall players – which is what we want. Tyler has got all the raw ingredients but sometimes it is that game management and game knowledge that doesn’t come with being a young player. It maybe harmed him getting into better positions at times.”