Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THREE LIONS GOALS BY A DUTCHMAN!
‘Bermondsey Bergkamp’ Flemming is unstoppable
28 MILLWALL 4 4, 16, 64, Cresswell
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BY LINDSAY SUTTON MILLWALL’S hat-trick hero Zian Flemming is a bit embarrassed to be called the ‘Bermondsey Bergkamp’.
It is hard to compare anyone with Dennis Bergkamp, one of the finest Dutch Internationals and top-flight legends, who played more than 550 games for Ajax, Inter Milan and Arsenal.
But Lions boss Gary Rowett reckons his own former Ajax star has a glowing future.
Rowett watched his £1.7million record signing take Preston apart with his clinicallytaken three goals and said: “Zian does bring that Dutch level of quality and composure – and a lot of steel too.
“He’s very professional. He’s a leader and he’s easy to give instructions to. He quickly takes it all on board. He’s a mature young fellow, with a fine future in front of him.”
Whether the 24-yearold former Ajax, NEC Nijmegen and Fortuna Sittard striker ultimately makes the Bergkamp grade is to be seen.
But already Premier League scouts are running the rule over the Lions’ deadly Dutchman.
Flemming’s tally of eight goals in 17 outings is impressive and his three at Deepdale shellshocked Ryan Lowe’s Preston, who came into the game on the back of three successive victories.
Disappointed manager Lowe (below) claimed that “criminal defending” allowed Millwall to notch only their second away league win all season.
But he added: “The bigger picture is that we are joint-sixth (on points) after 21 games and I would have bitten your arm off for that position at the beginning of the season.” After going two down by the 16th minute, courtesy of Flemming’s double blast, North End pulled themselves back when a shot by skipper Alan
Browne appeared to be deflected in by goalkeeper George Long, followed by a headed equaliser from the hardworking Ched Evans.
But just as Preston looked to be on the way back, Flemming showed his composure to hold back momentarily before cracking in his third – this time a left footer.
It was all over when Leeds loanee Charlie Cresswell, son of one-time North End striker Richard, hit Millwall’s fourth, 18 minutes from the end.
Cressy Senior was there in the crowd watching his son with pride – but as Rowett said: “Three moments of Premier League quality from Zian did the business.”