Millwall boss gives his verdict on 5-4 behind-closed-doors friendly defeat to Crystal Palace

Millwall manager Gary Rowett was happy with the workout his players got in Saturday’s behind-closed-doors friendly at Crystal Palace.

The Eagles won 5-4 in a match played at their training ground base.

New Lions signings Zian Flemming and Charlie Cresswell both scored with Benik Afobe bagging a brace.

Rowett told the club’s Recast channel: “It was always going to be a tough game, our first match, against a team who move the ball so well, as we found in the cup last season, it gives you a different kind of test.

“There were some very, very good things and very good moments – and some moments that we need to improve on in possession. We gave the ball away for three of the goals a little bit cheaply.

“We scored some very good goals. It’s very easy to look at the end result and be negative about certain aspects – we need to defend better and we conceded poor goals at poor times – but overall it was a good work out. The new players had a chance to show what they are all about, and some young players as well. We put two very mixed teams out there against, certainly, for 60 minutes a Premier League side.

“With the heat it was hard to inject so much tempo into it. Four or five goals were set-piece ones and it shows the importance of them, not just attacking but defending.”

Afobe and Honeyman played the opening 45 minutes with Flemming and Cresswell coming on after the interval.

“You can train all you want but it’s games where you start to get used to your team-mates – what they do and how they react,” said Rowett. “There were some good moments from George Honeyman in the first half, some excellent moments from Benik – who we know all about.

“Cressie hit some lovely diagonals and defended well. Zian, a little bit of skill [for the goal], Billy [Mitchell] moves and opens up some space for Zian. It’s a good bit of skill first and a great finish.

“I’m a little bit disappointed we then concede a sloppy goal on the back of it, to make it 5-4. A couple more chances at the end we should’ve taken – Hutch’s was an excellent chance.”