Former Stoke City manager Alex Neil watched as Millwall reclaimed a spot in the Championship’s top two and locked in a play‑off berth by beating the home side 3‑1 at the bet365 Stadium. The London club surged ahead early when Camiel Neghli scored, giving Millwall a first‑half lead. The advantage was doubled after 55 minutes when Femi Azeez, who is on pace for his ninth goal of the campaign, struck 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, forcing Neil and his coaching staff to a nervous sweat. However, Millwall restored their two‑goal cushion ten minutes later when Josh Coburn found the back of the net with a clinical finish from the edge of the box, exploiting a lapse in the Potters’ defensive organization.
The win pushed Millwall three points clear of third‑placed Ipswich Town, who will travel to Charlton Athletic on Wednesday to try and close the gap. For Stoke, the result underlined a season that has rapidly lost its early promise – the Potters have managed only two victories in their last ten matches.
The club also gave first‑team debuts to academy prospects Pijus Otegbayo and 18‑year‑old defender Syd Agina. Stoke came close to taking an early lead when a 12th‑minute shot from Robert Bozenik was expertly saved by goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, who was making his first start since the beginning of the year. Millwall responded quickly, and although Josh Coburn missed an early chance after a well‑timed cross from Tristan Crama, the visitors soon found the net again. Neghli, who had already scored in the previous match, demonstrated his finishing prowess after just 20 minutes.
A clever left‑wing pass from Zak Sturge created space, and when Eric Bocat failed to clear the ball cleanly, Neghli curled a rising left‑foot drive into the top corner for his second consecutive goal. Four minutes later Millwall could have doubled their lead, but Coburn’s effort from seven yards sailed over the bar after Neghli’s pass was slightly mis‑directed.
Just before the break, a misplaced pass from Crama gave Lewis Baker an unexpected chance, but Patterson was equal to the challenge, parrying a 25‑yard strike from the on‑loan Sunderland midfielder. The second half began with Stoke pressing for a reply. At 48 minutes Patterson saved a right‑handed volley from Tatsuki Seko after Millwall failed to clear a corner taken by Baker.
The Potters continued to apply pressure, and Patterson once again intervened, this time denying Millwall’s forward Million Manhoef. The home supporters, numbering 1,302, breathed a sigh of relief when Azeez added his second goal, extending the Lions’ lead to 3‑0. The winger collected a pass just outside the penalty area and unleashed a powerful left‑foot strike that left goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu with no chance.
Stoke answered immediately. Substitute Lamine Cissé, on his first touch, flicked the ball into the six‑yard box where Taylor’s inadvertent touch wrong‑footed Patterson, creating a scramble. However, Millwall’s Coburn capitalised on the chaos, scoring his third of the night after Bocat’s misplaced clearance fell to Neghli, who tapped in his tenth goal of the season. After the match, Alex Neil expressed his frustration with Stoke’s recent performances, saying, "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 was more upbeat when speaking about his own side, noting, "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 tally in the second tier – with two games remaining has been a dream season for us in terms of what our expectations would have been." The victory 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 struggling to find consistency. With only two fixtures left, the Lions will aim to maintain momentum and possibly clinch automatic promotion, while Stoke must regroup quickly to avoid slipping further down the standings.
Off the pitch, fans were reminded of the ongoing Super 6 competition, with a £250,000 prize pool up for grabs, and the promotion that the contest is completely free to enter, with entries closing at 3 pm on Saturday.