Gary Rowett proves he’s still one of the Championship’s most gifted managers after comeback win at Reading

Millwall manager Gary Rowett proved he is still one of the Championship’s top football intellects on the Madejski touchline as his Millwall side came from behind to beat Reading 2-1 on Saturday.

The south-east London side found themselves 1-0 down at half-time in Berkshire after Alfa Semedo capitalised on naive play between ‘keeper Bartosz Bialkowski and midfielder Shaun Williams, scoring into an empty net from 35 yards.

Rowett’s team would’ve felt hard done by going behind, having started strongly and should’ve had a goal or two to their name prior to the hosts’ breaking of the deadlock.

The Royals did use the goal as an injection of confidence as the likes of Michael Olise, Lucas João and Ovie Ejaria combined well and knocked the ball around Millwall with ease.

João should’ve scored his 17th league goal of the season after excellent play from 19-year-old Olise who shrugged off his opponent and played a mouth-watering, defence-splitting ball for the Portuguese attacker, who was denied by a good stop from Bialkowski.

Despite a mixed first half from his players and being a goal down, Rowett still sought three points.

The 46-year-old’s first switch was an attacking one, introducing forwards Jed Wallace and Mason Bennett to the fold for Jon Dadi Bödvarsson and Williams who both endured lacklustre first halves, at the start of the second half. 

Wallace tended to occupy an advanced central position, propping up on numerous occasions behind the forward line of Bennett and Kenneth Zohore, with the former also playing in an attacking role.

After an hour, there hadn’t been a change in the scoreline. Rowett made his second move, arguably the trump card as striker Matt Smith replaced Ben Thompson to give the Lions a more physical presence going forward.

Fellow striker Tom Bradshaw was also brought on for Zohore; Millwall now had a pacey, physical forward line with attack-minded personnel in support behind.

On the 73rd minute, the visitors got their deserved equaliser with two substitutes combining. 

The impressive Scott Malone drilled a low cross into the Reading box, evading the defenders in blue and white and finding Bradshaw, who had only been on the pitch for a matter of seconds. 

The 28-year-old’s effort on the turn deflected as if the ball had gone through the Reading defenders, like a walk-through-walls cheat code in a video game. Fellow-substitute Matt Smith demonstrated his qualities as a poacher, bundling the ball home from close-range. 

Five minutes from time the comeback was complete. A cross from the left-hand side once again proved too difficult to deal with by the hosts as Mason Bennett leapt highest at the near post to steer a delightful glancing header into the far corner past the helpless Rafael. 

The former Birmingham, Derby and Stoke manager has been identified as one of the second-tiers more tactically astute managers over the past handful of seasons. However, the wait for a Premier League job has arguably dragged on longer than some may have thought.

What is certain though is that his first full season as Millwall manager has gone to plan thus far. Despite being sat in 13th, the Lions have lost just seven league games this season; only the top four have lost fewer.

Draws are what have held the side from the capital back, recording 14 so far this season, the most in the division. 

If Gary Rowett and his team can show character in a similar manner as Saturday’s performance in more games this season, they could certainly be an outside contender for a late play-off push.

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