Millwall Manager Left FURIOUS After ‘Horrific’ Decision

Millwall manager Alex Neil was left furious after his side were not awarded a penalty in the second half in their 1-0 win over local rivals Watford at The Den. 

The 44-year-old branded the decision as “horrific”.

Pen Or No Pen? 

At the clash at The Den last night, Millwall secured their first home win of the season with a cagey 1-0 victory over Watford, which was a breath of fresh air for the growing amount of pressure on manager Alex Neil. Camiel Neghli’s sublime first-half free-kick curled into the top corner inside 10 minutes, which proved to be the decisive blow in a match that was significantly highlighted by defensive resolve for both teams.

Watford, who are languishing inn mid-table after another sluggish start to the campaign, started well early but lacked a clinical edge upfront, with Luca Kjerrumgaard’s late header the closest the Hornets came to finding an equaliser. Millwall was able to absorb pressure astutely, though Steven Benda’s sensational save from Enoch Asante’s effort was a significant highlight of the game.

However, the game’s key flashpoint erupted in the 82nd minute when substitute striker Macaulay Langstaff went down under a clumsy challenge from Kevin Keben in the box, sparking furious penalty appeals from the home crowd and bench. Referee Josh Smith waved play on, Alex Neil lambasted the decision as “horrific,” insisting it warranted both a spot-kick and red card for the Watford defender, but nothing was given.

Post-match, social media erupted with Watford fans decrying the “soft” claim, while Lions supporters hailed the positive result and their side’s grit in climbing to 10th place after a slow start. Despite the controversy, Millwall’s win injects momentum into the side ahead of a congested fixture list, though Neil urged focus on the positives amid the officiating storm.

Neil’s Comments 

In a furious post match interview, Neil said:

“Horrific decision. I might be wrong, and if I’m wrong, I apologise, but I thought it was a horrific decision.

“I thought it was the clearest penalty I’ve ever seen. He gets the wrong side of the lad, and there’s nothing you can say about it. It’s not even as if it’s a wrestle.

“He takes it down, rolls away from him, he’s wrong-sided, he brings him down. It’s a penalty and a red card, and the game probably looks very different for the last fifteen minutes of the match. But we didn’t get the decision. So, yeah, we move on.”

Writers View

Millwall’s cagey 1-0 win over Watford all but overshadows the controversial non-penalty call, as Neghli’s stunning free-kick secured vital points; this effectively should render the referee’s decision inconsequential in the grander scheme of things.