Millwall’s nine-match unbeaten run in the Championship came to an end as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Coventry City at the Den.
Ephron Mason-Clark’s decisive goal, his second in as many games, came from a Jack Rudoni cross, sealing victory for the Sky Blues.
Millwall head coach Neil Harris expressed his disappointment after the match.
“I’m disappointed with the result, obviously,” Harris said. “Just lacked quality, didn’t we? No problem handling the football at times, but in the transition, we gave it away a few times too cheaply which gave us problems in the first half. In the first half, we were the slightly better team but with no end product and no creativity.”
Harris was quick to acknowledge Coventry’s second-half performance, particularly the impact of their substitutes.
“Second half, Coventry had a good 10-minute spell around the goal and looked dangerous. Their subs made a real difference. They had some really good players coming off the bench. We just looked like a team that was trying really hard and just lacked the moments.”
“That is where people have to get their heads out of the clouds and realise how well we’ve done to achieve what we have so far. And how tough it is for us as a group,” he said. “Right at the end, we put the ball in the box, and one of my young centre-forwards and young wingers are standing outside of the penalty area. It shows a lot of learning we have got in front of us. That’s levels, as we know. That is why you rely on players to have those moments, and we lacked that level today.”
Millwall had a first-half goal controversially disallowed, with Joe Bryan’s effort from a corner ruled out for a foul on Coventry goalkeeper Brad Collins. Harris was critical of the decision.
“I thought the referee got it wrong,” he stated.
The Lions were hampered by the absence of key players, including their first-choice centre-back pairing of Jake Cooper and Japhet Tanganga, as well as Shaun Hutchinson and Romain Esse.
“You miss Romain, you miss Japhet, and you miss Jake Cooper. Three players that probably get in any Championship team,” Harris said. “Just a reminder to people, the thickos, that when you take the three best players out of the team, this is Millwall Football Club.”
Image: Millwall FC