Mahlon has fans dancing on first start
CHRIS WILDER was left feeling blue as Mahlon Romeo pumped up the volume at the Den.
The son of musician Jazzie B, Romeo (inset) scored on his first Championship start for Millwall as they stunned the high flying Blades.
Wilder’s side are having trouble with London teams at the moment, beaten by Fulham and QPR in recent weeks, and he was furious with the way his team lost ground on the top two, locking them in the dressing room for a 30-minute inquest.
He said: “We weren’t discussing the type of pizza to have on the way home. We have shot ourselves in the foot. The goals we conceded were really poor.
“I have no complaints about the score. My complaint is my team. I don’t think we have shown what we are about. The blame lies 100 per cent with us – me included. This game was won by the team who won the first and second balls.” Youngster David Brooks was booked by referee Andrew Madley for diving and Wilder said: “Brooks is a young lad, but he has got to stop throwing his arms in the air.” Millwall have been hampered by a failure to score goals this season – but there was no sign of any shyness when they opened the scoring through Lee Gregory. The striker had not netted since September, but put the seal on a brilliant breakaway started in his own half by Jed Wallace.
And after George Saville forced a save from Jamal Blackman the Blades came back with a jewel of their own.
Mark Duffy lofted a superbly weighted ball over the Millwall defence into the path of Brooks, and the 20-year-old Wales ace volleyed into the roof of the net.
After the interval, Millwall took control when Gregory sent Romeo clear. Only playing because Conor McLaughlin was suspended, he finished for his first goal in nearly two years. It was reward for boss Neil Harris, who had switched to a back three for the first time this season.
Harris said: “We had a conundrum at half time, do we leave it as it is and hope we get a foot-hold back in the game, or change it and we made a brave decision.
“We had a 10 minute team-talk to do it. And then you put them out there and they have to learn themselves and learn quickly. I thought the players were outstanding. ” His players pressed home their advantage when Wallace won a late free-kick from which Jake Cooper climbed to head the ball home off the bar. Possession 38% 63% Shots On Target 4 2 Shots Off Target 4 4 Blocked Shots 3 4 Corners 3 4 Fouls Conceded 13 9 Offsides 5 4 Yellow Cards 0 1 Red Cards 0 0