adminThe Will Scott column: How Millwall got kicked in the teeth by Gary Rowett’s Oxford United
WAS it ever going to go another way?
Gary Rowett’s Oxford United offered very little for most of the 90 minutes, and it looked like Luke Harris completely missing the ball when attempting to send in a cross late on would sum up their attacking performance.
Aside from an extremely well-hit Cameron Brannagan effort from outside the box shortly before half-time, the U’s rarely threatened Max Crocombe’s goal. It was mostly long-range pot-shots and snatched efforts from tight angles that were never going to worry the Kiwi international.
The one moment of real threat came from a long throw early in the second half, which was not properly cleared by Millwall, and it landed at Brian De Keersmaecker’s feet. However, the Belgian’s effort was straight down Crocombe’s throat.
They did, in fairness, keep plugging away. And for all their lack of rhythm and cutting edge, there was always the sense that Rowett’s men were hanging in there just long enough to snatch something if Millwall lost concentration.
That moment came right at the death. Millwall, who had bossed possession without truly killing the game off, got sloppy. A hopeful ball was swung into the box, and amid a scramble of bodies and deflections, it was Oxford who reacted first — a scruffy finish bundled home that sent the travelling support wild and left The Den in stunned silence.
It was the kind of punch that leaves a bruise — one of those cruel, late reminders that football doesn’t care who “deserves” what.
For Millwall, it will feel like a kick in the teeth — and rightly so. They had done almost everything right except put the game to bed. They pressed, they harried, they worked the flanks well, but when the big moments came, they lacked composure and clinical edge.
As for Rowett, it was the perfect return to south London. The former Lions boss didn’t exactly get the warmest of welcomes from the stands, but he’ll care little about that. What will please him most is that his side showed grit, organisation, and the kind of opportunism that often separates the survivors from the strugglers in this league.
Oxford United weren’t pretty — far from it. But they were resilient, stubborn, and ultimately ruthless when it mattered. And if you’re looking for the DNA of a Gary Rowett team, that’s it right there.
For Millwall, this one will sting for a while. Dominant for so long, undone by a late sucker punch. For Oxford, it’s the sweetest kind of win — ugly, hard-earned, and delivered right under the nose of the man they once called their own.
Football, as ever, writes its own poetry.
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