ROMEO’S THE HEARTBREAKER
NEIL HARRIS asked for a hero to arise at half-time, but he had to wait until the 88th minute for Mahlon Romeo to assume the mantle and fire Millwall into the second round.
The full-back gambled on a foray into the box – playing a one-two with ex-Southend man David Worrall – before drilling home to settle an evenly-contested all-League One clash.
“I said to the boys at halftime, ‘there’s going to be one moment of quality that will define the game’,” said Harris. “‘When that moment comes, whoever it’s going to be, make sure you take it, because that’s cup football’.
“Mahlon’s certainly done that. I’m really pleased; by no means did I think we were particularly good in the second half.”
However, it could not go down as an entirely successful night for the Lions as top-scorer Steve Morison was stretchered off in seemingly innocuous circumstances in the first half.
“It’s his knee,” Harris added. “There was no-one near him, so there’s always a worry when that happens. We’re now just hoping for a little bit of luck that it’s not serious.”
The Shrimpers had their chances – the best arriving early on as Stephen McLaughlin’s header was deflected over the crossbar by Ben Thompson – and boss Phil Brown was in no doubt as to which team deserved to win.
“There was a division apart between the teams. We were the best side on the park and should be walking away in the draw,” Brown said.
“From start to finish there was only one team on the pitch. I’m all about performance but it was a 1-0 defeat and it was worthy of a 3-0 win.
“They played with pride and a siege mentality, which you’ve got to have when you come to The Den. It was a very poor crowd from the home fans, we had great travelling support. The only regret I’ve got is that we’re sending those supporters home with nothing in the bag.”
Southend started the second half on the front foot and Ryan Leonard lashed a 25-yard effort narrowly wide to the relief of the crowd.
But Millwall weathered the storm with some dogged defending and then Worrall, on as a substitute, forced a smart stop from Mark Oxley before the midfielder combined with Romeo for the deciding moment.
If not for Lions keeper Jordan Archer, Marc Antoine-Fortune would have bagged an equaliser right at the end and a replay back at Roots Hall.
And Harris admitted: “We weren’t the better team, but that’s cup football.
“There were two moments of quality, Jordan’s save at 1-0 and the goal.
“Mahlon still has plenty to