Millwall 0-1 Reading: Naby Sarr header takes Royals top of Championship
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Naby Sarr had been training with the Royals during the summer but only signed a contract this week
Naby Sarr scored on his debut as Reading earned a fourth win in five Championship matches to edge past Millwall and go top of the Championship.
Sarr powered home a first-half header from a Tom Ince free-kick inside the first quarter of an hour and the Royals defended that lead impressively.
Tom Bradshaw went close on a couple of occasions and the Lions had a Jake Cooper goal ruled out for offside.
The Royals, who are a point clear of second-placed Sheffield United, should have wrapped up victory in the closing stages, but misses by Jeff Hendrick and Shaun Long did not prove costly.
The Lions were looking to win a sixth consecutive home league game for the first time since the 2010-11 season and made a lively start with Bradshaw having an early header saved by keeper Joe Lumley.
Former Huddersfield centre-half Sarr, who signed on a four-year deal earlier this week, briefly silenced the noisy home support, heading in after Shaun Hutchinson had flicked on Ince's set-piece.
Millwall responded, Bradshaw having claims for a penalty waved away and also sending a header wide as the game became increasingly niggly.
Chances continued to be at a premium with Sarr's attempt one of just three on target throughout.
But it was the Royals who created the better opportunities on their way to a first away win over Millwall in seven attempts.
Home keeper Bartosz Bialkowski made a fine save to deny Hendrick his first Reading goal after a slick team move and substitute Long wasted a great opportunity, shooting wide when one-on-one.
In between, Cooper thought he had levelled the scores but his header defected off Benik Afobe on its way in and was flagged offside and the Royals were able to see out the win that takes them above the Blades to the top of the table.
Reading manager Paul Ince:
"I think it's great the fans can say that [Reading are top].
"We struggled to stay in the league last year and I think Reading fans, who again came in droves to come and support us, never envisaged that after six games we'd be top of the table.
"So give them that, let them enjoy that moment and hopefully that may last a long, long time, but let them enjoy.
"It's something for them, for the support they've given us over the last six months I've been here."
Millwall boss Gary Rowett:
"The challenge is, like we've found so often this season, is you can't keep coming back and finding solutions in games when you're behind.
"We've scored the first goal in the Stoke game only in six league games and one cup game. This division is defined by that a lot of the times.
"[Reading] sat in and made it really tough. They've not had loads of possession in the game but they've been really resilient."