MILLWALL 1
Neghli 65
MIDDLESBROUGH 0
Millwall head coach Alex Neil believes his players are perfectly placed to force themselves into the Championship play-offs after grinding out a victory over fellow chasers Middlesbrough thanks to Camiel Neghli’s first goal for the club.
The Lions have gone under the radar in the promotion conversation.
But their third win in a row surely changes that as they are now just two points behind sixth-placed Coventry City, and level with Boro.
Club record signing Neghli came off the bench to score the winner, although he later had to go off injured.
GRAPPLE: Lions’ Aidomo Emakhu and Boro’s Anfernee Dijksteel
Bittersweet
Neil said: “We’re at a stage of the season where it’s needs must.
“Unfortunately for Camiel, he pulls his hamstring and I feel bad about that because that’s partly my fault because he shouldn’t have been on as early as he came on.
“However, he scores us the winning goal and it’s sort of bittersweet for him and, like I say, it’s disappointing for me because I’ve got a player injured.
“However, it could potentially be this season turns out to be a successful one, it could be the most crucial goal anybody scores for Millwall in a number of years.
“There’s a huge amount of work to do, there’s a huge amount of games left – and if we go and lose the next couple, it could all end.
“But what we have done this week is given ourselves an opportunity where we can go and try to battle for the remaining games and see where it takes us.”
GOT ’EM LICKED: Camiel Neghli celebrates scoring the Lions’ winner against Boro
PICTURES: PSI/Simon Traylen
Match action
Millwall had the game’s first half-chance with under a minute played when Tristan Crama was unable to keep his header from Joe Bryan’s free-kick down.
The best opening of a scrappy first half came three minutes before the break when Anfernee Dijksteel played the ball across for Morgan Whittaker, whose wait for a ‘Boro goal continued as he shot tamely at Lukas Jensen.
Millwall were almost celebrating within four minutes of the restart when a long throw fell for George Honeyman, whose low shot was well saved by Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Travers.
Another Ryan Leonard long throw then caused problems for the visitors, with Travers needing to push out a header from second-half substitute Macauley Langstaff.
The breakthrough came for Millwall in the 65th minute when two subs combined as Azeez’s cross was diverted off a defender into the path of Neghli, who controlled before firing into the bottom corner.
Middlesbrough searched for a way back into the contest, with Finn Azaz letting fly from outside the box with an effort Jensen got his fingertips to as it flew over.
Unfortunately for Neghli, he went off with a pulled hamstring to cut short his first appearance in over six weeks.
However, he can celebrate a third straight win for his sideafter Jensen made a big save to deny Marcus Forss in stoppage time.
Star Man – Jonny Howson (Middlesbrough)
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