Stoke City 0-1 Millwall - Flemming goal enough for Lions as they clinch narrow win over Potters

Zian Flemming is mobbed by his Millwall teammates after netting his 11th goal of the campaign

Millwall edged to a nervy 1-0 win at Stoke to keep their Championship promotion push on track.

The Lions completed their first league double over the Potters in 20 years thanks to in-form Zian Flemming's solo goal after nine minutes.

Stoke bossed much of the remainder of the game but couldn't fashion an equaliser and stay 17th, nine points clear of the relegation zone.

After beating his former club, Gary Rowett's men remain fifth but are just four points behind third-placed Middlesbrough, with a game in hand.

Stoke had kept three straight clean sheets at home but the visitors took just nine minutes to break the deadlock as Ben Pearson was dispossessed by George Savile on halfway and Flemming was able to drive forward with the defence backing off before stroking past Matija Sarkic for his 11th league goal of the season.

The Lions had won 14 of the 15 games in which they opened the scoring - including the 2-0 home win over the Potters in July - but Stoke dominated the majority of the match from then on.

Josh Laurent fired over from the edge of the box as City sought an instant reply while Jacob Brown saw a close-range finish disallowed for offside after Dwight Gayle's shot was blocked for the hosts and Gayle should have done better at the far post from Laurent's fine cross.

Celina's attempted chip from distance was too close to Lions keeper George Long just after the half-hour while Gayle couldn't connect properly after Morgan Fox nodded down a deep cross.

Pearson and Laurent saw efforts blocked as the Potters pressed before the break but after the turnaround it needed a Ben Wilmot block to prevent Tom Bradshaw doubling the Lions' lead on a rare foray forward.

The visitors spent most of the half near their own area and Brown just missed a cross from substitute Josh Tymon before Laurent, Lewis Baker and Celina blazed off target as their desperation grew.

Pearson tested Long with an effort from distance in the closing stages but it was Rowett who was punching the air at the final whistle after registering his fifth win in eight games he's overseen against Stoke, to make it one defeat in seven in the Championship.

Stoke manager Alex Neil told BBC Radio Stoke:

"It's frustration more than anything else. I think they've had one shot on goal and won the game. I feel as if I've re-lived that game here on numerous occasions.

"With a good win in the week I always feel as though it's one step forward and one back.

"We had more than enough chances in the first half to get a goal. I thought we started the second half brightly and looked threatening, then we huffed and puffed a bit and found it difficult to break them down.

"It's been a similar story for a number of games - we had chances. We don't have a big six-foot target man at the top of the pitch. I thought at times we were threatening and we had enough to get something out of the game. It's frustrating."

Millwall boss Gary Rowett told BBC Radio London:

"The desire to run and tackle and compete - our players embrace that side of the game - and for us to be in fifth, with more points than we've had at this stage of a season for a long while, is testament to that work rate and that energy.

"The defensive performance was brilliant. We haven't had enough clean sheets away from home. We have picked up away from home to beat the likes of QPR recently, Cardiff away and now Stoke - these are not easy places to go.

"We've had to work really hard today, I think Stoke will be frustrated perhaps they haven't turned more chances into goals."

On returning to the club where he was sacked after less than seven months as manager in 2019:

"It's no more enjoyable than any other three points. It's a long time since I've been here. For me it's about Millwall and I wish Stoke really well.

"I think they'll climb the table under Alex if they give him a little time and patience."