In a first half void of any real chances for the home side and some ‘lacklustre’ defending, Lions boss Neil Harris admitted his side’s performance “couldn’t have gotten any worse.”
Harris said: “The first half we were lacklustre, we didn’t get going, didn’t get out the traps, we didn’t win the first balls, second balls and couldn’t get near the ball. The second half was better, the change of personnel made us better but there was a little reminder at half-time of what was expected of them playing for this club.”
Poor Set Pieces
The visitors took an early lead on four minutes, after a free-kick wasn’t cleared by the home side with Andrew Hughes cushioning a volley in to the left hand-side of Jordan Archer’s goal.
Twelve minutes after scoring their first, the Lilywhite’s made it two. Captain Tom Clarke met Paul Gallagher’s corner at the back-post to head home.
With nearly 20 minutes on the clock the Lions had their first shot when midfielder Shaun Williams spread the play out wide to Mahlon Romeo whose effort was blocked by a wall of Preston defenders.
Moments later, Murray Wallace – who scored Millwall’s winner against Wimbledon in the FA Cup – put in a lovely cross to the back post where Tom Elliott stood, but his header was easily collected by Preston goalkeeper Declan Rudd.
Three Before Half-Time
It got worse for the home side when Sean Maguire was put through one-on-one after a lovely weighted through-ball from Gallagher. Maguire neatly clipped the ball over Archer to make it 3-0.
Shane Ferguson came on at half-time and was causing problems down the left-hand side, lashing the ball across the face of goal just before the hour mark, with the ball going agonisingly wide.
There were appeals for a penalty from the home crowd minutes later when Ben Marshall was bundled to the ground, but the referee was quick to wave away the appeals.
Super Subs
With just over 20 minutes to go, Lions sub Ben Thompson scored what turned out to be a consolation goal with his first touch, after other Millwall sub Steve Morison headed it back his way from Marshall’s cross.
The Lions continued to push and did have the ball in the back of the net again, but it was ruled out after the linesman raised his flag for off-side.
The home side came close to a second when Wallace’s driven effort was parried by Rudd straight into the path of Lee Gregory who put it wide.
The Lions travel to Hull City on Tuesday where they’ll look to bet back to winning ways and move away from the relegation zone.
