Ruthless Lions give Rovers a mauling
NEIL HARRIS believes Millwall produced some of the best football of his 20-month reign against ten-man Bristol Rovers and it is hard to disagree with him after this emphatic victory.
Daniel Leadbitter’s straight red card after just 14 minutes for a last-ditch challenge on Aiden O’Brien when he was through on goal meant Rovers were always going to be up against it.
And O’Brien’s opener midway through the first half was followed by three more goals in the second period from Shaun Williams, Lee Gregory and Harry Smith.
Harris said: “In the first 35 minutes I thought it was the best we’ve played while I’ve been in charge.
“Against 11 men, against ten men, I thought our use of the ball was excellent.
“I thought we looked lively, our tempo was good, there were crosses in the box, we looked dangerous and we created chances.
“It’s important in games that you score when you’re on top and we certainly did that.
“We could easily have had three or four in the first half an hour.
“I thought we were really threatening.”
O’Brien prodded home the opening goal from close range on 22 minutes after striker Lee Gregory’s initial shot was palmed away.
Williams drilled a second into the bottom corner just after the hour mark and three minutes later Gregory rounded off a neat move by lashing past keeper Kelle Roos.
And Smith, who was making his League One debut, calmly finished from close range for his third in two appearances for the club having featured in the Checkatrade Trophy at Luton on Tuesday
Rovers manager Darrell Clarke said: “This squad has got plenty of strength and character, I don’t think that’s been questioned now for a couple of years.
“However, I am disappointed with one or two of the goals we gave away.
“We were a little bit soft around the box , and we didn’t win enough first headers. “Credit to Millwall though, they took advantage of that, but we kept going.
“With the sending off, O’Brien and Dan Leadbitter have come together, there is contact, but Dan isn’t looking at the player at all.
“The ball is bouncing over O’Brien’s head as well so it’s going away from goal. And then to come to the conclusion that it’s a red card – when he’s got his yellow out and said he didn’t know if it was in or outside the box – I thought the referee was all over the place on that one.”