Wednesday 15 April 2015 19:22, UK
Neil Harris says he has put the fight back into Millwall after they battled and brawled their way back into the Championship survival race with a 2-0 win over Wigan.
Goals from Jimmy Abdou and Magaye Gueye secured victory over Wigan in a win-or-bust clash which looks certain to spell relegation for the Latics.
Both sides learned on Monday that Rotherham, the team directly above them just outside the drop zone, could face a three-point penalty for fielding an ineligible player.
And it was the Lions who came out on top against their fellow strugglers to cut the deficit on the Millers to four points ahead of any possible disciplinary action.
An incident-packed game also saw three brawls and three red cards as tensions frequently boiled over at a raucous Den.
And former Lions striker Harris, now interim manager, said: "That was a Millwall performance.
"That is what this club is all about. If the players hadn't learned anything from me before tonight they have now.
"I don't condone melees but if you need a spark down at The Den you have to look after your own.
"I can see an argument for all three red cards. But it's a man's game. I can't ask for commitment, passion, tackles, and then criticise one of my players for it."
Visiting striker Martyn Waghorn was first to see red for kicking out at Dan Harding on the hour, and 14 minutes later Abdou's flying header put Millwall ahead.
Latics skipper Jason Pearce was sent off for a foul on Aiden O'Brien and home midfielder Ed Upson followed for his part in the subsequent melee.
And Gueye wrapped up the victory in stoppage time when he raced onto a long ball and fired past Scott Carson.
Latics boss Gary Caldwell was less impressed with Millwall's approach.
"They got away with a lot all night," he said. "In the first half there was one team trying to play football and one team out to rough us up.
"We let that affect us and the referee didn't control it at that time, and the game got out of hand in the second half.
"I can see why Waggy's is a red card, although their player stamped on him. And Pearce's was just a good, hard tackle that wins the ball, he shouldn't be sent off for that."
Rotherham travel to Fulham on Wednesday night knowing their survival bid may no longer be entirely in their own hands.
Harris smiled when asked what he wanted the outcome of the Football League's probe to be before saying: "We just want a fair decision, that's all we can ask."
Caldwell, whose side could be 10 points adrift come Wednesday night, added: "That's totally out of our control. We never throw in the towel at this club."
