Millwall 3-0 Rotherham United: Longman, Flemming and Bradshaw net in Lions win
- Published
- comments
Millwall finished eighth in the Championship last season, dropping out of the play-off places on the final day of the campaign
Millwall registered their first win in three Championship games as they deservedly beat Rotherham United at The Den.
Ryan Longman fired the hosts in front midway through the first half with a powerful right-footed shot from just outside the box.
Former Millwall winger Fred Onyedinma was denied an equaliser by an offside flag before Zian Flemming's low effort doubled the lead for Gary Rowett's side two minutes before the hour mark.
Andre Green almost pulled one back straight away for the Millers, forcing Bartosz Bialkowski into a save, but Tom Bradshaw fired into the roof of the net to make it 3-0 to the home side in injury time.
Millwall move up to 11th in the table, two points off the play-offs, while Rotherham - who have won just once this season - remain in 21st place.
The Lions had scored only four goals in their first six league games, but made a return to form here and closed the gap on the teams above them, having narrowly missed out on the play-off places last season.
Flemming, restored to the starting line-up after being dropped to the bench for Sunday's 3-0 home defeat by Leeds United, and Bradshaw both sent efforts off target before Longman opened the scoring in stunning style.
The midfielder cut in from the left before blasting across Millers keeper Viktor Johansson for his first goal since joining the Lions on loan from Hull City.
Onyedinma soon sent a header wide from a Sam Clucas corner, but Millwall had chances to extend their lead before the break as first Casper de Norre forced an excellent save from Johansson and then Flemming planted a header wide.
Onyedinma curled into the bottom right-hand corner four minutes into the second half but the assistant's flag quickly cut short his celebrations, and Dutchman Flemming made it 2-0 with a left-footed shot across goal from inside the box after good work down the left by Duncan Watmore.
Bradshaw then rounded off the evening by reacting first when a long-range shot was blocked, smashing home from six yards out to join Flemming in scoring his first goal of the campaign.
Millwall manager Gary Rowett told BBC Radio London:
"I am probably disappointed that we didn't have more than three goals, because I think we should have scored a few more, but it was a really good performance overall.
"It was what we needed after the weekend.
"We retained the ball better, created more chances and had more pressure. We moved the ball intelligently and when we did lose it we reacted well as a team.
"Zian and Bradders [Tom Bradshaw] were a big factor in why we did so well last season and it was nice to get them both on the scoresheet."
Rotherham boss Matt Taylor told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"Similar to the weekend [a 2-0 defeat at Huddersfield], we were second-best in too many physical moments.
"We changed the shape a little bit but had no real platforms on the pitch, and against a strong home team like Millwall you pay the price.
"The second half was better but the second goal came out of nowhere - not a difficult or dangerous position for us to defend and all of a sudden it's in the back of our net.
"We've no cavalry around the corner to make an immediate difference so I have got to make sure this group of players is mentally strong enough to get through this difficult time."