Cundle scores on debut as Millwall beat QPR

Luke Cundle made the perfect start to his Millwall career

Luke Cundle scored on his Millwall debut as the Lions beat Queens Park Rangers in a feisty London derby at The Den.

Aaron Connolly's opener inside 30 seconds was cancelled out by Alfie Lloyd's equaliser just two minutes later in a breathless start to the match.

Cundle, included in the starting XI just a day after completing his move from Wolverhampton Wanderers, headed the home side back in front on 25 minutes after George Saville's header came back off the crossbar.

Millwall keeper Lukas Jensen produced fine saves to deny Koki Saito and Sam Field as the home team survived a barrage of attacks late on to claim their third win in a row.

Alfie Lloyd [right] equalised for QPR to level the score after just three minutes of play

With QPR boss Marti Cifuentes missing the game through illness, assistant head coach Xavi Calm was in the dugout for the visitors.

Jimmy Dunne, who had been the subject of a bid by Sheffield United, was not included in the matchday squad, with Calm revealing after the game the defender had picked up a groin injury.

And it was the home side who got off to a flier when Connolly side-footed in the opener after team-mate Mihailo Ivanovic had mis-kicked while trying to score from Tristan Crama's cross.

The visitors responded brilliantly through Lloyd, as Paul Smyth and Kieran Morgan combined well down the right on the break, before the striker fired beyond returning goalkeeper Lukas Jensen via the far post two minutes later.

Ra'ees Bangura-Williams then hit the upright with a long-range left-footed effort that had R's keeper Paul Nardi beaten.

Millwall continued to get numbers forward and it paid off on 25 minutes as debutant Cundle headed home after Saville's header came back off the crossbar, with Crama again the creator with the cross from the right.

QPR pushed for the equaliser in the second half, with Millwall dropping deep as they looked to hit them on the counter, with the visitors looking more dangerous in the final third after the introduction of Koki Saito, Michael Frey and new loan signing Yang Min-Hyeok.

Substitute Harrison Ashby saw his header deflect behind before Morgan Fox forced a save from Jensen from the resulting corner.

Saito's spectacular effort was palmed over by Jensen before the Millwall keeper produced an outstanding reflex save to keep out Field's deflected shot as Rangers piled on the pressure.

They continued to push but couldn't find a way through, with Field volleying over the bar with virtually the last kick of the game.

New signings shine for Millwall

Cundle immediately endeared himself to the home fans

Alex Neil included three of his January recruits in the team, including Cundle - just one day after his move from Wolves.

And all three impressed as the Lions took control in the first half, with Connolly and Cundle bringing energy and tenacity to the midfield as well bagging their first goals for the club.

Crama gave QPR left-back Kenneth Paal a torrid time on the right, with both goals coming as a result from his crosses into the box.

The likes of Cundle, Connolly and Bangura-Williams linked well with midfielders Saville and Casper De Norre, as head coach Neil begins to really put his print on this team.

Connolly went off to warm applause from the home fans shortly before the end and was announced as the fans' player of the match shortly after.

Those fans also welcomed club-record signing Camiel Neghli on to the turf before the game, with the former Sparta Rotterdam player and Ajay Matthews, signed from Middlesbrough, also to add to the mix.

A lively showing from the bench from Yang gave a glimpse of the kind of attacking flair he could bring to the visitors' attack.

'It's important to win at home' - reaction

Alex Neil's Millwall side have now won three matches in a row

Millwall boss Alex Neil speaking to BBC Radio London:

"I think what it [this run of results] does do is it shows how quickly football can change. The last home game here there was a lot of frustration conceding in the 97th minute [against Cardiff City], which I understand. I think since then we've been brilliant in terms of the performances and results.

"It was important to me today that we won at home. Most of our fans come to see us here so I want for them to go home happy and put on a performance and, more importantly, carry a threat and score goals. I think right from the start we did that today."

On club's transfer activity: "The boys have been brilliant. We always knew we'd be bringing players in and Romain [Esse] would be moving on provided someone came in and bought him. We knew we were going to bring in younger players and develop the style.

"The hard bit with all of that is to do it and win, and we're doing that. We're doing what we set out to do and at the moment it's going really well."

QPR assistant head coach Xavi Calm:

"He's [Marti Cifuentes] OK, not good enough to come to the game. He was on the couch with the blanket, trying to be in touch with us and hopefully he'll recover as soon as possible, but today it wasn't possible to be here for him.

"[The start to the game was] Tough because we didn't expect to concede this type of goal early in the game. We reacted really well after conceding the goal with an amazing goal, but it's always a shame to concede these type of goals that we never concede usually.

"The second goal, maybe we were not as good as we normally are. And in the second half we reacted again but we didn't get the one point that we had the feeling we deserved.

"In the second half we pushed, the lads did really well. They gave us everything until the end, the bench impact was there and was good but at the end it is a 2-1, no point for us, and we have to move on and try to get the points on Tuesday [against Blackburn Rovers].

"The lads are working hard. They are doing everything to get the points."

On Jimmy Dunne: "He's a Queens Park Rangers player. He felt a little bit the groin two days ago and we picked the best team we had available to play the game. He's our player, hopefully he's going to carry on as one of us."