Rowett’s Lions roar
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MILLWALL boss Gary Rowett has told his in-form Lions to avoid looking at the Championship table.
He issued the warning after ex-reading defender Jake Cooper’s first-half header deservedly secured Millwall a fifth successive win.
Millwall are just three points off the top six, but Rowett is desperate to stop his players getting carried away.
“I’m thinking exactly what I was thinking when we were 16th and not playing well enough,” said the manager.
“It’s about maintaining performances, trying to do the right things and help the players recover with Tuesday’s big game at Blackburn coming up.
“That’s what we’ve got to focus on and we’re better when we’re just thinking about being competitive rather than looking at the table. There’s a long way to go yet and we’re better off concentrating on our jobs and enjoying the moment.” Rowett hailed Cooper’s “outstanding leadership qualities” after his bullet header on 37 minutes ultimately proved decisive. The stand-in skipper showed his old club what they are missing when he rose above Tom Holmes to nod in Jed Wallace’s corner.
Highly rated John Swift wasted the Royals’ best chance of equalising just before half-time while, after the break, Lucas Joao nodded just over.
Paul Ince ducked his post-match press conference, leaving assistant Michael Gilkes to rue Cooper’s return.
“I’ve known Jake since he was 11 or 12 and he’s a major weapon in both boxes,” Gilkes said. “We lacked quality in the last third but performance-wise we’re pleased.” READING: Southwood 6, Yiadom 6, Holmes 6, Morrison 6, Mcintyre 6, Ince 6 (Dann 90), Drinkwater 6, Rinomhota 6 (Meite 85) Hoilett 7 (Ejaria 79), Swift 6, Joao 5. Subs not used: Boyce-clarke, Barker, Clarke, Tom Dele-bashiru. MILLWALL: Bialkowski 7, Mcnamara 7, Ballard 7, Cooper 8, M Wallace 6, Mitchell 7, Saville 7, J Wallace 7 (Mahoney 86), Malone 6, Burey 6 (Evans 70, 6), Afobe 7. Subs not used: Long, Muller, Lovelace, Briscoe, Pearce. MAN OF THE MATCH: Jake Cooper. Millwall’s skipper was head and shoulders above Reading – in attack and defence. REFEREE: Andy Woolmer 8.