Jed Wallace: Scoring goals just isn’t the same without Millwall fans there

Jed Wallace concedes it is a shame he couldn’t celebrate his latest Millwall goal with the club’s fans.

Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Brentford had originally been scheduled to be a trial game for 1,000 supporters to be allowed into The Den.

But the government decided last week that fans cannot attend games after an increase in Covid-19 cases.

Wallace produced a fine finish to a classy passing move when he headed home Mason Bennett’s cross to put the Lions ahead against Thomas Frank’s side.

“You don’t want to score a goal in an empty stadium,” he said. “It’s not the same.

“I should have been planting that header in the bottom corner and running off with 15,000 or 16,000 Millwall fans in here and a great atmosphere.

“I’m not going to pretend it’s ideal. We’ve got to get used to it. The Derby game shocked us – it’s probably the worst we’ve played since the gaffer came in. We’re getting used to it now but the sooner it can change the better.

“At the moment it’s about doing what my Dad does – sitting on the sofa with a beer – and trying to play as well as we can so the fans at home can be happy with our performance hopefully.”

Tom Bradshaw has not scored in the Championship since January 1 and drove a prime chance wide in the second period after Wallace’s cross was backheeled into his path by Bennett.

Wallace said: “Strikers are always judged on their goals. But you realise when we analyse the games back just how much work he does get through. It’s down to us as a group at times to give him better service.

“He’s been brilliant the last two games. I know if we’re taking four points every two games and he’s not scoring that he’ll be happy with that.

“He’s my friend. I’d rather he scores than me at the moment – I feel he deserves a goal. I’m sure it will come. He just needs one to bobble off his knee and get going.”

PICTURES: BRIAN TONKS/KEITH GILLARD