Alex Neil branded Millwall’s 1-0 victory over Portsmouth as their biggest game of the season as they continued to build a gap to the relegation zone.
Mihailo Ivanovic scored the only goal of the match, for the second fixture in succession, five minutes before half-time with a perfectly timed run and finish.
The Lions are now 10 points clear of the bottom three after victories over Luton and Pompey in the last four days.
Millwall boss Neil said: “It is two away wins on the bounce, you don’t get better than that with two clean sheets.
“At the moment the players understand the importance of these games, particularly with who they are playing and where they are in the table.
“The one thing I will never do is bluff the players about the importance of the match. I told them today that this was our biggest game of the season, we had to beat them and we needed to put as much distance between us and them as possible.
“They get it and understand it and you could see what the result meant to them.
“There is nothing better as a coach than when your players put absolutely everything on the line for you.
“There is a thirst for knowledge for how to be more effective and make more ways to score goals because the grit, determination and shape have always been here, it is trying to expand on other areas.”
Ra’ees Bangura-Williams had already missed an open goal and Ivanovic a free header at the back post before the guilty duo combined for the second game in a row.
As they did at Kenilworth Road, Bangura-Williams slipped Ivanovic in behind to score, and Neil hailed his new attacking pair’s new-found success.
The Scot said: “Combinations are important.
“Ivanovic wants to work away from the ball and Ra’ees wants to find that pass and what we’ve got to do is create enough patterns that puts them in that position enough times to make it effective. The last two games it has worked.”
Portsmouth dominated possession but could not find a killer chance as they tasted defeat at Fratton Park after six wins in the last seven at home.
Pompey chief John Mousinho said: “We huffed and puffed with plenty of effort but didn’t show enough quality.
“After a shaky start we settled into the game and played some really good football in the first half but couldn’t put the ball in the net.
“We had a couple of good chances but it is more the opportunities and the areas we got into, but we didn’t test the goalkeeper enough.
“Then going 1-0 down to a side who know how to play at 1-0. They do it really well and did it well on Saturday.
“We got punished by one sloppy moment defensively. The most disappointing thing is that we could have ended the attack but we let Bangura-Williams play a one-two around us and then the ball is in the net.
“There are definitely some positives out of tonight but unfortunately the most important thing is the result and we didn’t get it.”
