Half-time Harris chat helps spark Millwall turnaround at Ipswich

Posted Wednesday, January 02, 2019 by PA

Millwall boss Neil Harris got the response he wanted to his half-time team talk as the Lions scored three second-half goals at Ipswich to round off a successful festive period.

Harris’ men trailed to Jack Lankester’s strike at the interval before goals from Shane Ferguson, Jake Cooper and Tom Elliott in a 16-minute spell helped the visitors to a 3-2 victory.

It earned Millwall a third straight victory and moved them six points clear of the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone.

But afterwards manager Harris revealed his frustration with his side’s start to the game and the late Kayden Jackson goal that created a nervy finish.

“It was a horrendous first half from us and I’ve got to be honest, it wasn’t acceptable,” said Harris.

“I don’t think I’ve ever made a sub in the first half, unless it’s forced on me by an injury or a red card, but that was the closest I’ve come to doing it.

“I had a few choice words at half-time for the group and I questioned how much they wanted it, and they responded second half. The goals weren’t that great but we scored more than Ipswich and that’s all that matters.

“We should have seen the game out at 3-1 – we weren’t really under any threat – but the best goal of the game gets them back in it and it was a nervy end for us.”

Harris praised captain Steve Morison, who was brought on for the second half.

The Millwall boss added: “Steve was extremely disappointed that he didn’t score the other day against Nottingham Forest when he missed an open goal from six yards and hit the post.

“He was really down about it and I spoke to him this morning. I reminded him about his importance to us and that it’s not all about scoring goals.

“I thought he put in a real captain’s display when he came on. After a first half when we lacked leaders he made a huge difference.”

Ipswich boss Paul Lambert was frustrated his side did not make the most of their first-half dominance.

“We should have been three up at half-time,” he said. “We were excellent in the first half. We dominated the game and the ball, and we had some unbelievable chances.

“Nobody could have begrudged us if we’d gone in at 3-0 – I thought we were that far ahead. The football we played was great but we have to take our chances.

“I knew what we’d have to deal with when Steve Morison came on – long balls and headers – but we never dealt with the physicality side of it. We got caught up with the emotion of the game as well and the lads got involved with some of the decisions, which I thought were strange.”

Lambert revealed he was shown a yellow card by the referee for stepping over the line and on to the field of play.

He added: “I’ve been to see him. The pitch is so close to the technical area and I didn’t know I was on it. I don’t understand that one. I think I must have been a centimetre on to the pitch.

“I never said anything derogatory or used any bad language, but some of the things I heard in there were shocking. We’ll be sending in our own report about that.”