Millwall boss Alex Neil delivers angry verdict after ‘really cheap’ defeat to Middlesbrough

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Millwall were heavily beaten by Rob Edwards’ Middlesbrough side on Saturday, and Alex Neil was not happy afterwards.

Millwall hosted Middlesbrough on Saturday afternoon in a Championship fixture at The Den in which Rob Edwards’ side won 3-0.

At the interval the score was a goalless stalemate, but a 49th-minute goal from Hayden Hackney capped off a brilliant Boro move to put the visitors ahead.

Late goals from Alfie Jones, who got off the mark for his new club since arriving from Hull City, and Delano Burgzorg completed a comfortable victory for Middlesbrough.

After the game, Millwall boss Alex Neil issued a palpably frustrated verdict regarding his side’s performance in their horror show.

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Alex Neil gives angry verdict after Millwall loss to Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough were predicted to lose against Millwall on Saturday, but Edwards’ side got back to winning ways after their shock Carabao Cup 4-0 first-round defeat to Doncaster Rovers in mid-week.

However, a key moment during the first half when the clash was goalless could have had major ramifications on the scoreline.

Boro striker Tommy Conway went down inside the 18-yard box after alleged contact from Lions goalkeeper Steven Benda, but former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg exclusively revealed to EFL Analysis that referee Tom Nield made the correct decision.

After the Lions lost their first home game of the season, manager Neil claimed that the defeat was “really cheap.”

As quoted by Teesside Live, Neil said: “I’d probably say for about 50, maybe even 60 of those minutes, I thought we were probably a better side than them.

“However, what happens is because the last 30, they were better, that’s what you leave everybody with.

“Ultimately, the score line will dictate the moral of the story. So in two months’ time, we’ll look back at that game and say ‘how crap were we’.

“We all know that isn’t how the game panned out. But let’s be honest, nobody cares. We lost the game 3-0.

“I thought in the second half, we just played the ball in front of Middlesbrough. It was just cheap, really cheap.

“I didn’t think for spells of the second half that we did enough in the game. We didn’t win enough duels.

“We didn’t track our men well enough. We didn’t put a foot in at crucial times in the game, and that’s things I haven’t really seen from us since I’ve been here. So that’s probably the bits that we need to do better for me.”

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Hayden Hackney was Middlesbrough’s best player amid exit links

The Middlesbrough future of prized asset Hayden Hackney has been speculated throughout the summer transfer window.

Homegrown talent Hackney turned down Ipswich Town last month after holding talks with Boro’s Championship rivals.

Middlesbrough fans turned on Hackney last month after reports emerged that he was open to joining Ipswich, but his assured performance against Millwall will have quelled any lingering fears over his commitment despite his unresolved future.

Against the Lions, Hackney scored the decisive goal with a commanding finish past Benda which found the bottom corner.

In typical fashion, Hackney was also the most accurate passer (95 percent accuracy) to play 45 minutes or more during the clash.

Given his imperative performance in Boro’s second league victory out of their opening two games, the Riverside faithful will be hoping to hold onto Hackney for a little while longer as the September 1 transfer window deadline approaches.