Mihailo Ivanovic heads late winner as Millwall defeat Blackburn Rovers – caretaker Livermore gives his verdict

Mihailo Ivanovic scored a stoppage-time winner for Millwall as David Livermore’s first match in interim charge ended with a 1-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers.

The Serbian striker glanced home from Ryan Leonard’s right-wing cross to secure maximum points for the Lions and ensure they did not go a fourth straight Championship match without scoring.

Blackburn were forced to play the closing stages of the match – including eight minutes of stoppage time – down to 10 men after Lewis Travis went off injured and they were unable to make any more changes.

Femi Azeez made superb saving tackle from a Rovers’ counter attack early in the second half after Amario Cozier-Duberry looked to be in on Lukas Jensen’s goal.

George Saville twice forced saves from Blackburn keeper Aynsley Pears, one in each half.

It is Millwall’s first win over Blackburn in nine attempts – drawing three and losing five of the previous eight encounters. Rovers came into the contest having lost just one of their last 17 league games against the Lions, winning 10.

Livermore said: “Firstly, I’m delighted with the win. Nothing better than scoring a 90-plus minute, whatever it was, at The Den.

“I’m really delighted for the lads and staff because I’ve got really, really good people in that dressing room – they have been really supportive this week. Everyone in the dressing room has really stepped up.

“We wanted to play with a bit more tempo. The game was pretty scrappy first half but I still felt we edged it. We wanted to spot and play – get the ball back in play more quickly when it went out. The game got really stop-start. Second half it got a little bit end to end and open and I didn’t mind that because I thought young Aidomo (Emakhu), Femi Azeez, Romain (Esse) and Macca (Macaulay Langstaff) that it might suit them.

“There was a period towards the end we took a little more control and the game was played in their half. Obviously them going down to 10 men helped.”

One of the changes that Livermore made was to start Emakhu on the wing.

“He’s had a few cameos recently where he has effected the game, so I thought it was right today he earned that opportunity to start,” said the Millwall caretaker. “I was really surprised he played the 90 minutes because I really thought he would blow up and we’d have to take him off around the 70-minute mark.

“But because the game was getting more and more stretched I knew he had that pace on the break, certainly when we moved him through the middle to try and get in behind late on.

“I’m delighted for him. He’s a really good kid and works extremely hard. He has got a lot of really good qualities and a lot of areas to improve on. He knows that and we’ll work with him to do that.”

Both Ivanovic’s goals for the Lions since his club record move from Vojvodina have come at The Den.

The Serbian international came off the bench.

Livermore said: “I just thought the game at 0-0 might suit him. They have got two big centre-backs who were batting the ball back quite a bit. I thought if we could get Mihailo up against them and maybe Macaulay off of him, just a little bit deeper, that might cause them a few problems.

“What Mihailo is really, really good at is attacking the ball from crosses. As you saw from his goal. We see it daily in training when we do finishing etc etc – he finishes with his head really well.”

PICTURES: BRIAN TONKS