Millwall boss makes striker admission after Kevin Nisbet opens goal account for the Lions

Millwall manager Gary Rowett admitted that Kevin Nisbet had been starved of service in recent matches after the Scottish striker scored his first goal for the club in today’s 1-0 win over Stoke City.

The former Hibernian frontman, who signed in the summer transfer window, produced a clinical finish after Ryan Leonard’s long throw was headed on by Zian Flemming.

Rowett said: “If you look at the first game, Middlesbrough, he’d be the first to say he had a couple of big chances. Whilst he’d have been pleased to be on the end of the right end of those chances he would’ve been disappointed he didn’t finish them.

“For a couple of games, if you’ve our forwards, you’ve been very limited in what you’ve had to work with.

“You have got to give those forward players opportunities. Whether that is just balls in the box, balls that are dropping in the box or something to at least anticipate and get on the end of it.

“Certainly the way we played today, with that extra energy of Brooke (Norton-Cuffy) and Joe (Bryan) down either side, we got into some really good positions and put some really good balls into the box.

“You see it with his goal – if you give him chances then he’ll score. Same with Bradders (Tom Bradshaw).

“It’s about giving them balls to work with. We spoke a lot about putting balls into their strengths, which is to chase, run and harry. Plus into feet. Bradders’ link-up play was very good and gives us a platform to play off.

“Wesley was a big factor for Stoke, to get them out, and Hutchy dealt with him absolutely magnificently for the best part of it. It stops them getting any momentum first half when it keeps coming back at them.

“The energy we expended had an effect on us second half but we did just about enough to win the game.”