MILLWALL lost to superior Southampton in their final pre-season game.
Adam Armstrong capitalised on an error by new keeper Lukas Jensen to give the Saints a lead after 64 minutes which they held fairly comfortably.
The quality difference between the Lions and the newly-promoted Premier League side was clear but the Lions equipped themselves well for large periods of a game where they saw very little of the ball.
The friendly offered one final chance to impress before the competitive season begins and there was good news when the line-ups came out and it showed Shaun Hutchinson to be among the starting 11 for the first time since he re-signed.
The other noticeable detail was the make-up of the midfield and it became clear in the opening minutes that the versatile George Honeyman would be taking up a higher position than normal.
The opening stages of the game had a lovely flow to it and was far cry from Millwall’s last proper friendly in England, that tepid 0-0 draw with Gillingham three weeks ago.
It was the hosts who created the first opening after four minutes. Casper De Norre released Duncan Watmore with a deft pass into the edge of the box and he smuggled it untidily out wide to Joe Bryan. The full-back dinked the ball to the back post but Romain Esse could not steer it in with his acrobatic effort.
From there the game settled into the predictable rhythm that was witnessed in both league games last season. Southampton hogged the ball and tried to pass their opponents to death but the Lions, to their credit, sat off and pressed with intelligence and patience.
The Saints had their strongest spell of the first half between the 20th minute and half hour mark. A brilliant save by Jensen was required to deny new signing Yuki Sugawara, who evaded Bryan and walloped a shot towards the corner of the goal.
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A few minutes later Will Smallbone almost got in around the six-yard box but the opportunity was smothered by the Millwall defence. Soon after Samuel Edozie scampered down the right to receive a wonderful Taylor Harwood-Bellis pass but his cross was weak.
A ball over the top to the on-rushing Tom Bradshaw saw Millwall break the dominance after 27 minutes. He won a free-kick on the left of the box that was curled in by Honeyman towards the back post. A loose leg managed to poke it into the net but the flag went up immediately.
From then until half-time, it was back to normal as Southampton passed, passed and passed it some more.
Wes Harding replaced Shaun Hutchinson at the break as he got his chance to audition for the role of Jake Cooper’s partner in place of the suspended Japhet Tanganga against Watford next week.
Southampton’s breakthrough almost came just after the hour as a Smallbone corner was flicked on by Adam Armstrong only for Joe Aribo to fumble his chance at the back post.
But their goal would come just a few minutes later. Smallbone was again the provider as he crossed from the right-hand side of the penalty box with Jensen trying and failing to gather the ball. His error opened the door for Armstrong to slam it in from close-range.
Millwall had barely come forward since the early stages but suddenly awoke after conceding and could have equalised immediately. Esse’s cross to the back post fell perfectly for Bryan but he put his chance just past the post.
The game opened up in the final stages as both sides played their cards. Off the bench for Southampton was 18-year-old Tyler Dibling who breathed new life into their midfield and hammered the crossbar with a furious effort 12 minutes from time.
Millwall introduced Aidomo Emakhu, Macaulay Langstaff and Kevin Nisbet to add more threat to their attack but struggled to get the ball back off the Saints who showed off their quality with their composure in possession.
No further chances came and, despite some positive signs, Millwall ended pre-season with defeat.
Millwall: 4-4-2: Jensen; Leonard (McNamara 86′), Hutchinson (c) (Hading 46′), Cooper, Bryan; Esse, Saville (Massey 86′), De Norre, Watmore (Emakhu 73′); Honeyman (Nisbet 80′); Bradshaw (Langstaff 73′).
Southampton: 4-2-3-1: McCarthy; Taylor (Manning 46′), Harwood-Bellis, Stephens (Amo-Ameyaw 60′), Bednarek (Wood 46′); Downes, Smallbone; Edozie (Dibling 70′), Aribo, Sugarwara; Armstrong (Brereton-Diaz 70′).
Referee: Gavin Ward
