Manager Neil Harris has credited the resilience of the players as they came from a goal behind in the weekend’s trip to the Proact Stadium.
Admitting that we were far from our best in the two one victory over Chesterfield, with the win secured by a quick fire Aiden O’Brien leveller and a second half Lee Gregory winner, the gaffer told the official site in his post game press interviews, that it was the spirit in the side that most pleased him as we will certainly play better than that in the future.
There was also delight that the win lifted us into the Play Off spots in League One.
‘In the first 30 minutes or so we were not at our best. The boys have shown great resilience and we had to work hard for that win. I thought we deservedly went behind in the game and we never really got going for whatever reason. We were a little bit slow out of the traps and we certainly couldn’t keep the ball. That was the difference from when we scored until the end of the game; we took care of the football.’
Harris went on to say there were tweaks made when we got back to one all and he wanted Steve Morison to play a bit deeper to try and help link things better with midfield.
‘We adjusted slightly when we got back to 1-1, asking Steve to play a little bit deeper, which is a role he can certainly do because he has got the knowledge, ability and desire to do that dirty work around their midfield players. And I think that gave us a real option to get out. I thought Lee Gregory’s hold-up and link-up play, as well as his forward running, was fantastic and he deserved his goal. It was nowhere near our best performance of the season but it’s a hugely important victory. It was a battle.’
Lifting the club into the Play Off spots, Harris went on to add.
‘It’s a terrific achievement to get into the top six. The lads have done brilliantly to get there but we have to stay there now. I have asked about the character and mentality a few times this season, and I think rightly so because we have to improve. The players have always responded to that and today was a big achievement; to come to a real tricky place, to go behind against a team on the up and come from behind to win is really pleasing.’
Harris was also quoted by the South London Press as talking about the penalty shout where Mark Beevers was pulled down in the box.
‘I will not comment on the general standards. But it is apt that the referee missed the most obvious penalty of the season when Mark was about to tuck the ball in the net from four yards out. He got spun around by a player half his size. It was a clear-cut penalty and even led to chuckles among our staff because it was so bad. It is frustrating. It is not the first time we have been denied a stonewall penalty in a big game. We could have won more comfortably.’
Vital Millwall on:
Vital Millwall on:
Harris Pleased With Chesterfield Resilience
