Millwall matchwinner Camiel Neghli set to miss rest of Championship season

Millwall’s record signing Camiel Neghli scored his first goal since his January transfer to SE16 – the 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough fuelling hopes of claiming a play-off place – but suffered an injury which is set to end his campaign.

Neghli finished smartly after fellow substitute Femi Azeez’s cross dropped to him inside the area.

The attacker was only on the pitch for 21 minutes as he pulled up sharply holding his right hamstring and had to be replaced by Wes Harding.

Millwall goalkeeper Lukas Jensen made a fine late reaction stop from Marcus Forss – celebrating as if he had headed home a winner at the Cold Blow Lane end.

The South Londoners are ninth in the Championship table but only two points behind sixth-placed Coventry City, who do not play until Monday night against Hull City.

“Everybody could see, even early on in the first half, how much this week has taken its toll on our players physically,” said Neil. “We have got a really, really small squad at the moment – trying to get through it.

“Femi Azeez should not have been on the bench. Camiel was due to get 15 minutes today. Those lads shouldn’t really have been on the bench today – they have trained for three days. But we are at the stage of the season where it is needs-must and unfortunately for Camiel he pulls his hamstring. I feel bad about that because it is partly my fault – he shouldn’t have been on that early.

“However he scores us the winning goal. It is sort of bittersweet for him. It is disappointing for me because I have got a player injured, however, it could – if this season turns out to be a successful one – the most crucial goal that anyone has scored for Millwall in a number of years.”

Neil was forced into an attacking change with Josh Coburn not eligible to face his parent club.

Aidomo Emakhu came in for the Boro targetman but played on the left with Luke Cundle and George Honeyman behind lone striker Mihailo Ivanovic.

“The first half was disappointing from us,” said Neil. “I chose not to go with a second striker, which we have done in recent weeks, and it didn’t work. We couldn’t really get the ball up the pitch. We didn’t play forward enough.

“Our press wasn’t quite right. The first thing I do want to say is Middlesbrough are a good side. They don’t make it easy for you – they risk the ball and if you don’t get it quite right they can make you look quite silly.

“They were better in the first half but there weren’t loads of chances. We had very, very little. Tristan Crama has a header from the first set-play which he should probably do better with. That was basically our highlight reel of the first half – which was disappointing.

“Half-time was about changing how we were going to press but, more importantly, putting a second player at the top end of the pitch to try and keep the ball alive. It fixed the game. Every time we went forward it had circulated back and that’s not when we are at our best.

“The discussion at half-time with the players was that we were delighted it was 0-0 – not because they had loads of chances but they were better. The first part, about how we set up, is on me – as it naturally always is – so we had to try and fix it. It doesn’t mean you are necessarily going to play better and win the game. What it did immediately do is get us higher up the pitch.

“We got good territory. The problem in the first half was the press and leaving Johnny Howson on the ball, who is a brilliant player.”

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD