The good, the glad & the ugly for Harris
NEIL HARRIS showed his pride in his Millwall team as the Lions reached their second FA Cup quarter-final in three seasons.
Murray Wallace netted the winner inside five minutes and Harris said: “I’m so proud of the way the players dug in.
“It’s not easy coming to Wimbledon and being expected to win.
“How many times have we beaten teams in higher divisions in the Cup having risen to the occasion when they’re expected to beat us?
“We knew Wimbledon would be good. It was ugly at times but all that matters in cup football is getting through.
“We got ourselves a clean sheet and scored a good goal – we could have had three or four more – and it’s a great effort by the boys.
“I asked for heroes and someone to step up and Murray – as he did against Everton – has done it again.
“I’m pleased with the goal and the chances we created but I’m especially happy with the clean sheet.
“Yes, they hit the post early on, we had a few chances, but I never felt under any pressure to make subs earlier or anything like that.
“I’m delighted for Tom Elliott to get back out on the pitch as well – it was just a solid all-round performance.
“I think we could have been a little calmer at times as when we did get the ball on the floor and pass it and were patient, we created some good openings.
“We had more chances on the counter-attack in the second half but maybe in the first half we got rid of the ball a bit too quickly at times.
“The one moment in the first half where we showed that real composure, Ryan Leonard puts in a terrific ball and there was that desire from our left-back to pop up and head it into the net.
“That’s now 11 games – six wins, three draws and two defeats. Now we switch our attention very quickly back to the league on Wednesday.
“The players are fully aware of how hard we’ll have to work going to Derby with the talent they have – but the momentum from this will certainly carry us forward.
“It’s fantastic to play in another quarter-final, it’s the fourth in 15 years as a club, and what an achievement that is for a club at our level.
“It doesn’t just happen as a coincidence, it happens because of what we are as a group, fanbase, board, staff and players.
“We have a growing affinity with this competition.”