Former Stoke City manager Alex Neil watched as Millwall surged back into the Championship’s top‑two positions, securing a place in the play‑offs with a 3‑1 victory at the bet365 Stadium. The London side opened the scoring early, with Camiel Neghli finding the net in the first half, before Femi Azeez added his ninth goal of the campaign to make it 2‑0 after the hour‑mark. A defensive mishap from Caleb Taylor, who inadvertently turned the ball into his own net at the 60‑minute mark, gave Stoke a brief glimmer of hope, but Josh Coburn sealed the three points with a decisive strike in the 69th minute, exploiting a lapse in the home side’s back line. Millwall’s win pushed them three points clear of third‑placed Ipswich Town, who travel to Charlton Athletic on Wednesday.
Stoke, whose early‑season promise has faded dramatically – they have managed only two victories in their last ten outings – handed first‑team debuts to academy graduates Pijus Otegbayo and 18‑year‑old defender Syd Agina. The Potters nearly took the lead in the 12th minute when Anthony Patterson, making his first start since the start of the year, saved a powerful shot from Robert Bozenik. Millwall responded quickly, and although Josh Coburn missed an early chance after a well‑timed cross from Tristan Crama, the visitors soon found the back of the net. Neghli demonstrated his finishing prowess at the 20‑minute mark, scoring his second consecutive league goal.
The opportunity came from a clever left‑side pass by Zak Sturge, which slipped through the Stoke defence. When Eric Bocat failed to clear the ball cleanly, Neghli curled a left‑footed drive that rose over the goalkeeper and nestled into the far corner. Four minutes later, Neghli provided a pass for Coburn, who struck from seven yards but blasted the ball over the bar. Just before half‑time, a misplaced pass from Crama allowed Lewis Baker a chance from 25 yards, but Patterson, on loan from Sunderland, made a comfortable save.
The second half saw Patterson again tested at 48 minutes when he denied a volley from Tatsuki Seko after Millwall failed to clear a corner taken by Baker. Stoke continued to press, and Patterson intervened to stop a shot from Million Manhoef.
The atmosphere among the 1,302 travelling Millwall supporters eased when Azeez doubled the lead, converting a pass just outside the penalty area with a powerful left‑footed strike that left Stoke keeper Gavin Bazunu helpless. Stoke attempted a rapid reply when substitute Lamine Cissé, on his first touch, flicked the ball into the six‑yard box. An inadvertent touch by Taylor wrong‑footed Patterson, but the chance was cleared before it could be turned into a goal. Millwall restored their three‑goal advantage when Bocat’s misplaced clearance fell to Neghli, who slotted his tenth goal of the season.
After the match, Neil expressed his frustration with the team’s recent performances: "I am sick of teams that come here and look ordinary and take the points. This is a team aiming for automatic promotion, so it gives me a lot to think about.
It has been poor for a while. Summer can’t come soon enough, that’s for sure. Too many players are not giving everything. I have plenty to do.
It wasn’t good enough, so we need to change things and the way we approach games. The season promised so much at the start but has delivered nothing. It is difficult to get excited about. In the interim we have had decent performances in a season that hasn’t panned out to the level we wanted." Neil also highlighted the significance of the achievement: "We will fight to the end and see where it takes us.
It is the biggest achievement the club has had in the last 24 or 25 years and we still have two games to play. We have our eye on the next two fixtures. We need to try and win those games and see what happens elsewhere.
The fact we are in the fight for automatic promotion is an incredible achievement for this team, this club and everyone connected with it. If we end up in the play‑offs we will give it our best shot. There is so much to like about this team and I’m privileged to have this opportunity to coach them. Being on 79 points – Millwall’s second‑highest tally in the second tier – with two games remaining has been a dream season compared with our expectations." The victory not only solidified Millwall’s position near the top of the table but also underscored the growing gap between the promotion contenders and a Stoke side struggling to find consistency.
With the season entering its final stages, the Lions will look to maintain momentum, while Stoke must regroup and address the defensive frailties that have plagued them in recent weeks. The £250,000 Super 6 prize remains on offer, and fans can continue to follow the action via the Sky Sports app and the NOW streaming service.