Away-day blues frustrate Lions

Millwall’s bid for play-off berth hit by travel sickness
THE SEASON for Millwall so far can be summed up in one word: frustration.

Manager Kenny Jackett has watched his side — last year's losing League One play-off finalists to Scunthorpe — hover in and around the lower fringes of the top six, without ever quite managing to make a decisive move.

Currently eighth in the division, the Lions have tasted defeat in only eight matches in all competitions — not including the loss on penalties to Championship side Derby in an FA Cup third-round replay, a tie in which they were reportedly the better side on both occasions.

The problem for Jackett hasn't been Millwall's form on home soil. Only once at the New Den have they been beaten this season, Wycombe emerging with a 2-0 victory.

Away from home, though, the story has been far more disappointing with a solitary win in 12 league matches, and that came at bottom club Stockport County.

To improve on that record at Boundary Park on Saturday, Millwall will look to the goals of top scorer Neil Harris.

Now 32, the experienced striker is in his second spell with the Bermondsey club and he has 11 goals to his name this season.

Harris could be partnered up front by Steve Morison, the £130,000 signing from Stevenage who has found his shooting boots of late, registering eight goals in his last 10 outings.

Another option up front is Lewis Grabban, the 22-year-old forward who had two months on loan with Athletic in 2006.

Last season's equivalent game between the two sides ended in a home victory.

Lewis Alessandra scored Athletic's third goal in a 4-3 win at Boundary Park on August 9, 2008, and

the striker is now on the comeback road following surgery to repair damaged ankle ligaments.

The 20-year-old, whose loan spell at Chester City was cut short by the operation in early October, is now entering the final stages of rehab and will soon get stuck into ball work on the training field.