Zian Flemming: I’m happy for Tom Bradshaw to finish above me in scoring charts – provided Millwall get promotion

Zian Flemming admitted that Millwall’s match against Preston North End on Saturday felt “different” as the Championship play-off race hots up.

The Dutchman, a club record £1.7million signing from Fortuna Sittard, provided the assist for Tom Bradshaw’s 15th goal of the season.

And Flemming then struck himself in the second half – his 14th league goal – as the Lions won 2-0.

The result leaves Gary Rowett’s side fifth in the table with four matches to play.

“It was maybe not the greatest of games but at this stage of the season – and the importance – we won quite comfortably, not that we didn’t have to work hard for it,” said Flemming.

“We kept a clean sheet, scored two goals and after going 1-0 ahead I never really had the feeling we weren’t going to win.”

Flemming smiled when asked by the South London Press if he was concerned if he finished above Bradshaw in Millwall’s scoring charts.

“If we get promoted no,” he said. “If that goal gets us promoted – no.”

Flemming ended a six-game run without netting.

“A goal is a goal, I’m always happy with it,” said the Amsterdam-born attacker. “But not extra, extra happy – because it wasn’t like I was feeling bad about not scoring for a few games, sometimes it goes like that.

“At first I didn’t expect the ball to land in my space but it had quite a big bounce. That’s why their defender misjudged it as well. I had to take it quite high because I had defenders around me.”

Rowett felt his players were “edgy” in the match.

“Especially how we started,” said Flemming. “We played a few passes which there was no need to do that. A few sloppy mistakes. In the end we did well. Even if we were edgy, they were even more edgy than us.

“Maybe the second chance (they created) was a goal. It took quite a while to get the second goal but you are already 1-0 up and you don’t need to chase the game or force anything – they are the ones who need to come now. An early goal helps massively.

“I’d rather speak about missing chances then not creating any. There was never a doubt it was going to fall sooner or later, especially after the Hull game where we created so much.

“Normally we don’t need that many chances, as you saw today. It would be good if we could pick up that habit again and kill games quickly.

“You feel it is different (the Preston match), especially such a long season with 46 games. It’s different if you play game 20 or 25 because there are still so many games and chances to make up a mistake, or whatever it is. Now it is getting more important and I did feel the importance of this game.”

Birmingham are next to head to The Den tomorrow.

Flemming said: “We always look forward to playing at home and the opponents might be a little bit scared of playing at our place. That mix is just good. It’s been proven again and again that we’ve got a great home record – even though we have fallen short a few times recently.”

Millwall probably need at least a couple more wins to make sure of their play-off spot for the first time in England’s second tier since 2002.

“Yeah, so let’s get them ASAP then,” said Flemming.