Middlesbrough boss has praise for Millwall strikers – and blasts his own

BY KAI BENNETT

Middlesbrough manager Neil Warnock was left fuming with his strikers after his side fell to defeat against Millwall at The Den on Saturday afternoon.

Billy Mitchell’s pass down the line found Jed Wallace, who beat Johnny Howson for pace, whipped a low ball into the box which was turned into his own net by Middlesbrough defender Grant Hall for the only goal of the game.

The win for the Lions was their first over Middlesbrough in six attempts stretching back to 2017.

Neil Warnock told BBC Radio Tees Sport: “It was one of the most frustrating afternoons of the season. The first half wasn’t acceptable, our forwards were very very poor.

“We’re at Millwall – you have to be determined and you have to be able to graft. I didn’t see that at all in the first half hence the chances.

“There was a reaction in the second half, we played some decent stuff on a difficult surface without making clear chances, we got in some great positions but the ball just didn’t fall for us. There were quite a few ricochets that went to their man to clear and we couldn’t get that goal.

“The game was there to be won today, let alone get a point, even at half-time it was there to be won. I have never been as disappointed in my strikers as I was today, they were absolutely non-existent in the first half.

“I didn’t see any effort with the three of them today and I can’t tell you what it’s about but I changed it at half time because I wanted at least people who were going to put their head in where it hurts.

“It’s the way we lost this game that is my disappointment, I can accept things going against you, I can accept when you don’t get the rub of the green, but today it wasn’t acceptable in the first half. I can’t remember anything whatsoever in attack.”