CHARLIE IS MY DARLING SAYS BOWEN
Bees keeper’s howler wraps up a festive gift for relieved Rowett
VETERAN Charlie Adam rolled back the years with a midfield masterclass as Reading scored two beautifully crafted goals to inflict only a second home defeat on Preston.
The first was simplicity itself, one touch interplay between Ovie Ejaria, Adam and Tyler Blackett set up Jon Swift (above, left) to finish from six yards, with Declan Rudd helpless.
The second was another slick move as Ejaria combined to release Lucas Joao from just inside the area, Rudd getting a glove to the ball but unable to stop it from crossing the line.
Royals manager Mark Bowen said: “I don’t usually single out individuals but there were some outstanding performances.
“Charlie Adam’s pass for the first goal was perfect, Tyler Blackett didn’t have to break stride. I brought in Tyler for his defensive qualities but he bombed 40 yards for the goals.
“It’s our fourth clean sheet in a row, our third win in a row. The goals we scored were from really crisp passing and they gave us the platform to be able to go compact in the second half and allow them to come on to us.”
Preston manager Alex Neil moaned: “It was a smash-andgrab job by Reading, two sloppy square passes from us for the goals and they were clinical.”
North End could have scored in each half, Rafael Cabral denying Brad Potts in the first before palming away Billy Bodin’s 20-yard piledriver. Their best other chance came when skipper Tom Clarke’s diving header was stopped on the line by Cabral.
PRESTON:
GARY ROWETT hailed his Millwall “underdogs” as they closed in on the playoffs by denting Brentford’s own promotion hopes.
The fired-up Lions moved to within two points of the top six thanks to Aiden O’Brien’s early winner.
Brentford crumbled when faced with a hostile atmosphere and a bobbly pitch – and goalkeeper David Raya’s howler gifted Irish midfielder O’Brien the only goal of the game in the eighth minute.
At the other end, the muchvaunted Bees frontline could find no way past keeper Bartosz Bialkowski (right).
Rowett said: “I am not looking at or talking about the play-offs, even if the players might.
“We may have a smaller budget but that is what Millwall are all about, punching above our weight financially. The club is about drive and desire and the support of the fans. But we have good players as well.
“If you could take lots points from the teams both above and below you, then you’d be in the top two. You can’t win every game.
“When we are the underdog, we love turning over bigger teams. With more expectation against teams lower down, we have to find a way.”
Brentford’s Danish boss Thomas Frank said: “It was a 0-0 game, or a draw – a scrappy of match from both teams. We gave Millwall their goal, David made a mistake but he has been amazing this season and is potentially the best keeper in the league.
“They went 3-4-3 and so maybe feared us. No excuses and it’s not why we lost, but it was a difficult pitch to play football on.
“Of our key players, none of them had a top game.”
The decisive moment arrived when on-loan Brighton midfielder Jayson Molumby harried Raya – and O’Brien steered home the loose ball.
Brentford were rattled and, on the stroke of half-time, Said Benrahma kicked the ball into Shaun Williams’ face, sparking a melee, and was booked.
MILLWALL:
BRENTFORD:
MOTM
SHAUN WILLIAMS (MILLWALL)