Neil Harris hailed passion and desire as the secrets of Millwall’s FA Cup success as they overcame AFC Wimbledon and reached the quarter finals of the competition for the fourth time in 15 years.
‘What an achievement that is for a club of our size,’ said Harris, who played up front for the Lions when they lost to Manchester United in the 2004 final in Cardiff.
‘Why does the FA Cup bring the best out of us? We know what is needed in these Cup ties and it is not always about being the best footballing team.
Murray Wallace celebrates after his stooping header puts Millwall ahead of Wimbledon in their FA Cup fifth round clash
The defender steers his header beyond goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and into the top corner at Kingsmeadow
Wallace is joined by his team-mates as some of the home supporters watch on after their team concede early in the tie
MATCH FACTS, PLAYER RATINGS AND MATCH ZONE
Wimbledon (3-5-2): Ramsdale 7; Oshilaja 6.5, Nightingale 6, McDonald 6; Sibbick 6.5, McLoughlin 6, Hartigan 6 (Pinnock 63min, 5), Wordsworth 6, Garratt 6 (Barcham 46, 6.5); Pigott 6 (Connolly 63, 6), Folivi 6
Subs not used: McDonnell, Thomas, Wagstaff, Soares
Bookings: Wordsworth
Manager: Wally Downes 6
Millwall (4-4-2): Archer 6; Romeo 6.5, Pearce 7, Cooper 7.5, M.Wallace 7; J.Wallace 5, Williams 7, Leonard 6.5, Ferguson 5.5; O’Brien 5 (Elliott 65, 5), Gregory 6.5 (Hutchinson 90)
Subs not used: Martin, Tunnicliffe, Morison, Skalak, Hanson.
Bookings: M.Wallace,
Goals: Wallace 5
Manager: Neil Harris 7
Ref: Jonathan Moss 6.5
Murray Wallace heads home the only goal of the game at Kingsmeadow. CLICK HERE for more from MATCH ZONE.
‘It is about the team with the biggest heart and the right footballing mentality, and the team who can win first and second balls and set plays. That is why they have done so well under me in this competition. I am a very happy manager.’
For the second successive round, Murray Wallace was Millwall’s unlikely goal hero. Left-back Wallace appeared with a winner in stoppage time against Everton, at the Den, and struck after only five minutes at Kingsmeadow.
Wimbledon were unable to clear their lines from a corner and the ball worked its way to Ryan Leonard who crossed from the right for Wallace who arrived to meet it with a powerful header.
It was Millwall’s first goal since they beat Everton last month.
Deji Oshilaja lies motionless on the turf after failing to turn home the ball at the Cherry Red Records Stadium
Millwall’s Mahlon Romeo gets his foot to the ball ahead of Joe Pigott as they vie for possession during their fifth-round clash
Michael Folivi keeps his eye on the ball but cannot make the connection to turn it past the Millwall keeper Jordan Archer
‘He’s wonderful fella,’ said Harris. ‘And he’s a top, top professional who leaves no stone unturned in the way he conducts himself on and off the pitch. He deserves the adulation and attention. I needed a hero, someone to step up and be a match-winner – and he did that.’
Wimbledon, in the fifth round for the first time since the rebirth of the club, almost scored first against Millwall in the opening seconds when Shane McLoughlin’s low cross was volleyed against the frame of the goal by striker Joe Pigott and refused to be discouraged by the early setback.
Michael Folivi fired wide when well placed and captain Deji Oshilaja headed over from Toby Sibbick, who caused problems with his pace, going forward on the right. Another cross from Sibbick swerved and almost caught out Jordan Archer who scrambled back towards his goal and pushed it to safety at the expense of a corner.
Wally Downes’s side played with similar purpose at the start of the second half. Sibbick drove over from the edge of the penalty area and Folivi forced a save from Archer.
Wimbledon manager Wally Downes shouts out instructions to his League One side during the match
Neil Harris issues an instruction to his players to calm down as they look to keep a hold of their lead at Kingsmeadow
The Wimbledon fans behind one of the goals let off a smokebomb as they prepare to welcome the teams out on to the pitch
Scott Wagstaff dyed his beard in Wimbledon colours after holding up his end of a bet and he has it on show in the warm up
But Wimbledon’s growing sense of adventure left them vulnerable on the counter attack and Aaron Ramsdale was required to make a fine save from Aiden O’Brien to keep them in the game.
Millwall slowly took control and dominated the final half-hour, creating enough chances to have made the final outcome much more comfortable.
Jake Cooper twice went close from set-pieces and Ramsdale saved twice from Shaun Williams and again from Jed Wallace as the visitors started to make their quality count.
‘I was very pleased with the way the lads applied themselves,’ said Wimbledon boss Wally Downes. ‘We were a match for Millwall and it was only a set-piece between us. If they get a chance they’re going to punish you, which is exactly what happened.’
Harris is eying up a quarter-final clash with South London rivals Crystal Palace, who face Doncaster on Sunday.
‘No disrespect to Donny but if Palace get through I want to get them at the Den, and avoid Man City if we can’ said the Millwall manager. ‘To be at the Den, and for 20,000 of our fans to see a Cup quarter, is what I want.
‘Financially, it is huge. It cuts the losses and helps us move forward. We’ve had bad press recently and rightly so. We need to be better in society. But today Millwall are being talked about for being in the last eight of the best Cup competition in the world.’
Former Crystal Palace and Newcastle manager Alan Pardew was one of the interested spectators at the FA Cup tie
Both sides take part in a minute’s applause before kick off to remember former England goalkeeper Gordon Banks
