BRAD ALL OVER ‘We shed tears over Neil Harris... this was for him’
ADAM BARRETT dedicated Millwall’s win to former boss Neil Harris.
Jed Wallace’s controversial early penalty and Tom Bradshaw’s strike just before half- time ensured a jubilant end to an emotional 48 hours down at Zampa Road.
Leeds centre- half Gaetano Berardi was sent off for a club record EIGHTH time when harshly judged to have pulled down Bradshaw for the spot-kick.
The visitors pulled a goal back within 15 seconds of the restart through Ezgjan Alioski to make it a roller-coaster debut in the dugout for caretaker manager Barrett.
He had been on the touchline watching his kids play a school match on Thursday night when club legend Harris dropped the bombshell he was stepping down.
Barrett revealed there were tears at the training ground on Friday when Harris and assistant David Livermore came to say their goodbyes to players and staff.
But from that moment there was a resolve to produce a fitting display to honour Harris and his four years and 199 days in charge.
Barrett ( right) said: “The lads and I wanted to put a performance on for Neil and Dave.
“To get a result for them means a lot to everyone involved in the football club.
“It was an emotionally draining 48 hours. After the shock news, I thought the character shown was outstanding.
“The intensity of the lads was first class. We wanted to smother Leeds, we did not want to give them any breathing space and that’s what we did.
“I thought it was a penalty. By the letter of the law it is what it is in terms of whether it’s a red card, and the ref gave it.”
One big change Barrett made from the previous home game was switching Ben Thompson from a holding midfield role to second striker. The homegrown star outjumped the Leeds defence to leave Bradshaw to nip the ball past Berardi, before going to ground as he cut across the Leeds defender.
There appeared to be minimal contact but referee James Linington pointed to the spot and pulled out his red card.
Wallace thumped his spot-kick into the top left corner and the Den was rocking.
The volume inside the ground went through the roof when Thompson sent Shane Ferguson clear down the left.
His drilled cross was met with the deftest of touches by Bradshaw to divert the ball inside the far post. Barrett may need to work on his half- time team talks as Alioski turned in Jack Harrison’s cross straight after the interval.
Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa said: “The second goal for them had a big impact on the match. At half-time I took some decisions to improve our structure. But I should have taken them in the first half.
“We were still the better team with one less player. Maybe we realised this superiority more in the second half and I could have helped by making decisions before.”