£6m team too strong

By Jr
March 12 2005

The Lions’ dwindling hopes of making the play-offs took another knock on Saturday as Millwall crashed 2-0 at league leaders Wigan Athletic.

The Lions’ dwindling hopes of making the play-offs took another knock on Saturday as Millwall crashed 2-0 at league leaders Wigan Athletic.

Leading up to the game, much was made of Millwall’s precarious financial position - which might necessitate the sales and departures of some experienced players.

Yet, the Lions were still able recruit Andy Impey and reject a £750,000 bid from Stoke City for the injured Paul Ifill.

With Ifill at least three weeks away from recovering fully from his ankle operation, the addition of the experienced Impey until the end of the season could be invaluable cover.

The on-loan Forest winger may have strengthened the side, but not sufficiently for Millwall to record a better result at the JJB Stadium.

Assembled at a cost of around £6million, Wigan’s first team squad was always likely to be too strong for the patched-up Lions.

And that proved to be the case.

Millwall assistant manager Ray Wilkins believed that the Latics expensive strike force of Nathan Ellington and Jason Roberts provided the difference between the two sides.

Both million pound men were on target for the hosts and, thanks to those strikes, have now contributed 40 league goals to Wigan’s promotion cause between them this season.

Wilkins said: "They're both quick they're both strong and they're going to give you problems.

“We think we've probably got two of the best central defenders in this division in (Darren) Ward and (Matthew) Lawrence.

"I thought it was a terrific contest, to be honest, but with their pace and their power they're always going to have a chance.

"Roberts, in particular, impressed me. He was very, very strong and was very composed to put the second one in. He was very calm.

“We felt we had contained them very well in the first half.”

The Lions front pairing of Danny Dichio and Barry Hayles were largely ineffective, meanwhile, but weren’t helped by the paucity of chances created by the midfield.

Perhaps that explains Neil Harris’ decision to snub a loan return to the Den, as Wise went on record recently to say Millwall’s joint top scorer of all time didn’t think the Lions team was strong enough to give him a decent service.

Wilkins admitted Millwall had been unable to service the front runners, and was disappointed they could not capitalise on the height advantage offered by substitute Bob Peeters.

He said: “We brought Big Bob on, but they weren’t many crosses for him to get his head to.”

Wilkins was pleased with the effort shown by the more inexperienced members of the team though: “Again, the youngsters have come in and done themselves proud.

“They’ve done the club proud.

“But it’s always going to be difficult with five players under 21 years of age.”

The youngest of the crop - Curtis Weston - warmed the bench, but at least the other four (Tony Craig, Marvin Elliott, Peter Sweeney and Mark Quigley) got some more valuable first team experience under their belts.

Now two games against relegation-threatened clubs follow back to back at the Den: after a midweek encounter with Coventry City, Millwall face Plymouth Argyle on Sunday (kick off 2pm).