Potts’ luck
BRAD CAPITALISES ON JAPH’S HOWLER
JAPHET TANGANGA suffered a nightmare debut on loan as his mistake gifted Preston a point after Millwall made a flying start.
But Lions frontman Zian Flemming must wish he can play the Lilywhites every week after opening the scoring on five minutes with his sixth goal in four games against Preston.
The Lions looked comfortable until Tanganga’s wayward 33rd-minute pass allowed the excellent Mads Frokjaer to send Brad Potts (below left) clear to notch his second goal of the season.
Lions boss Joe Edwards said: “We started the game well and were the dominant team really early and got our goal as a reward. I felt comfortable right up to their goal.
“It starts with Japh. He had lots of ball today and showed the quality he has but for sure the pass was an error.”
Before kick-off there was a ceremony to mark the renaming of the road leading to The Den from Zempa
Road to John Berylson Way, in honour of the former Millwall chairman who passed away last year.
Flemming kept up his run of scoring every time he faces the Lilywhites, when he rose unmarked to head in George Honeyman’s cross.
It was the Dutch No.10’s first Championship goal since October.
But after Tangana’s error, Potts raced unchallenged into the box to fire low past Matija Sarkic.
The visitors smelt blood.
Sarkic got down well to deny Liam Millar after another Frokjaer through-ball.
Millwall regrouped and Kevin Nesbitt could have had a second-half double. He was blocked on the line, before the Scot blazed over the bar.
It was the visitors who wasted the late chances to snatch a winner.
Will Keane and sub Milutin Osmajic fired snapshots wide before Sarkic blocked Potts’ injury-time effort.
Preston boss Ryan Lowe said: “It was a hard fought point, could have got three late on but I think it was a fair result.
“Conceding early was disappointing.”
MILLWALL: Sarkic 7; Tanganga 5, Harding 6, Cooper 6; Norton-cuffey 7, Mitchell 5 (Saville (59) 7), Honeyman 7 (De Norre (59) 7); Longman 6 (Esse (46) 6), Nisbet 5 (Obafemi (77) 6), Flemming 7 PRESTON: Woodman 6; Storey 6, Lindsay 6, Hughes 6; Potts 7, Frokjaer-jensen 8 (Holmes (90) 6), Whiteman 7, Ledson 6 (Browne (73) 6), Millar 6 (Osmanjic (62) 6); Keane 6, Riis 6 (Brady (62) 6) STAR MAN: Mads Frokjaer – Played the two best passes of the match, the first for Potts’ leveller. REF: John Busby 6