Former Stoke City manager Alex Neil watched as Millwall surged back into the Championship’s top two and secured a play‑off berth with a convincing 3‑1 victory at the bet365 Stadium. The London side took the lead early through Camiel Neghli, who put the Lions ahead before the half‑hour mark. Their advantage was doubled when striker Femi Azeez, who has already netted nine times this campaign, found the back of the net in the 55th minute to make it 2‑0. Stoke’s hopes were briefly revived when defender Caleb Taylor inadvertently turned the ball into his own net at the hour‑mark, giving the hosts a brief moment of panic.
However, Millwall responded swiftly, as Josh Coburn struck in the 69th minute, capitalising on a lapse in the home side’s defensive organisation to seal the three points. The win lifted Millwall three points clear of third‑placed Ipswich Town, who will travel to Charlton Athletic on Wednesday in their own promotion push.
For Stoke, the result underlined a worrying decline; after a promising start to the season they have managed only two victories in their last ten matches. The Potters gave first‑team debuts to academy prospects Pijus Otegbayo and 18‑year‑old defender Syd Agina, hoping fresh legs might spark a turnaround. Stoke came close to taking an early lead when Anthony Patterson, making his first start since the start of the year, saved a low effort from Robert Bozenik in the 12th minute. Millwall quickly countered, and although Josh Coburn missed an early chance after a well‑delivered cross from Tristan Crama, the Lions continued to apply pressure.
Neghli, who had already scored in the previous match, demonstrated his finishing prowess after just 20 minutes. A clever left‑foot pass from Zak Sturge sliced through the Stoke defence, and with Eric Bocat failing to clear the ball cleanly, Neghli curled a superb rising shot into the net for his second consecutive game‑winning goal. Four minutes later Millwall thought they might add a third, but Coburn’s effort from seven yards skied over the bar.
Just before the break, a misplaced pass from Crama found Lewis Baker in space, but the on‑loan Sunderland keeper Patterson produced a fine save from a 25‑yard strike. In the second half, Patterson continued to be tested. After 48 minutes he was beaten, but his right‑hand upright saved a volley from Tatsuki Seko that followed a corner delivered by Baker. Stoke pressed forward, and Patterson again intervened to deny a powerful shot from Millwall’s forward Million Manhoef.
The atmosphere among the 1,302 travelling Millwall supporters eased when Azeez doubled the lead. The winger, who has become a key figure for the Lions, received a pass just outside the penalty area and unleashed a ferocious left‑footed strike that left Stoke keeper Gavin Bazunu with little chance of a save.
Stoke responded immediately, benefitting from a slice of luck. Substitute Lamine Cissé, on his first touch, flicked the ball into the six‑yard box, and an accidental touch from Taylor wrong‑footed Patterson, creating a fleeting opportunity for the home side.
However, Millwall’s persistence paid off when Coburn, after missing earlier, finally found the net, making it 3‑1 after Bocat inadvertently set the ball up for Neghli, who then added his 10th goal of the season. After the match, Alex Neil expressed his frustration with his own team’s performances. He said, “I am sick of teams who come here and look ordinary and take the points. This is a team going for automatic promotion so it gives me loads of food for thought.
It has been poor for a while. Summer can’t come soon enough, that’s for sure.
There are too many at the moment choosing not to give everything. I have got plenty to do.
It was not good enough so you have to change things and change the way you go about it. It is a season that promised so much at the start and has delivered nothing. It is really 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 it to.” Neil also praised his own side’s resilience, stating, “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 what the next two games look like.
We need to try and win those games and let's 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 I have this opportunity to coach them.
For us to be on 79 points (Millwall's second‑highest second‑tier tally) with two games remaining has been a dream season for us in terms of what our expectations would have been.” The result not only solidified Millwall’s position near the top of the table but also highlighted the growing gap between the promotion contenders and a Stoke side that appears to be sliding towards a relegation battle. With only two fixtures remaining, Millwall will aim to maintain their momentum and possibly clinch automatic promotion, while Stoke must regroup quickly if they hope to avoid a disastrous finish to their campaign.
As a side note, fans were reminded that the £250,000 Super 6 prize pool remains available, with entries closing at 3 pm on Saturday, offering an additional incentive for supporters to stay engaged with the league’s excitement.