Saints fell to their first defeat under Tonda Eckert at Millwall, in a game where they never really got going and looked to have fought for a hard earned point until with just about the last win of the game the home side scored a winner.

The travelling Red & White Army in South East London were filled with trepidation on Saturday when the team news came out, there was no Leo Scienza, one of a number of players lately who seem to have fallen ill rather than being injured.

Jay Robinson came in for Scienza as did Cameron Bragg for the suspended Flynn Downs, the only non enforced change being Jack Stephens coming back in for Joshua Quarshie.

It was clear from the kick off that things were not right, our rhythm seemed to have been disrupted by the changes and Millwall seemed to know this and press us hard to try and further knock us out of our stride.

We got into half time level, due to a couple of decent saves by Gavin Bazunu, one of which was top drawer, although we had a couple of decent chances of our own, we looked disjointed and not having Leo Scienza on the left seemed to leave us no outlet, Jay Robinson seemed to struggle to hold his position out wide, although he did have a couple of good chances well saved.

The hope was the second half would see us improve and it did, in terms of scoreline at least, the referee did well to spot a shirt pull and pointed to the spot, TV replays showed he was spot on, but you rarely see these given these days.

Adam Armstrong gave us the lead and you hoped that we could push on from here.

On the hour mark off came Jay Robinson and on came Joe Aribo, initially I thought this would be a good substitution, however Aribo was not at the races, he looked a yard off the pace and out of sorts.

Soon after Millwall fired home an equaliser and then 10 minutes later scored a screamer, the question was though, that Aribo stood back and didn't close his man down, there was no block and such is our luck their man got the time and room to hit his shot and that gave it a chance of being on target from that distance and on target it certainly was.

But we were not dead and buried 6 minutes later we were back on terms when after a great save from a header the home keeper, Finn Azaz scored from a tight angle.

Surely we could now get a point out of this game ? the answer was no, Millwall put in a cross that found someone unmarked at the far post who put the ball across goal and to be blunt it should have been hacked off the line but was only sliced into his own net by Taylor Harwood Bellis, we had been caught at sixes and sevens and paid the price, there was barely enough time to kick off before the final whistle went.

So this was a big disappointment, how could we have been so good against Charlton & Leicester in the week before this game and then so poor in this one ?

But this is not uncommon in football and from this perspective we have to lick our wounds and get on with things, there were mitigating circumstances with two enforced changes in key areas and that disrupted our rhythm, in many respects although we didn't play well, we dug in and looked to have earned a point before that final moment.

As ever it is now not about what has happened, but what we do next, this is not a sign that Tonda Eckert might not be the man for the job, it is a defeat and every team in the League has lost games this season.

If we had been told a month ago that in our next 5 games we would win 4 and lose 1 we would have been happy, this defeat is not terminal, we are still only 5 points off the play offs, it is just so gutting to lose so late in the game.

So onwards and upwards we have done well to get our season back on track with so many key players out injured, Leo Scienza in this game plus Flynn Downes suspended, add to that Shea Charles, Ross Steward, Elia Jelert, Mads Roerslev are all full internationals and such is the depth of our squad we could also leave out Ronnie Edwards & Cameron Archer with both not even making the bench.

This is actually not a bad thing in terms of finding out whether Tonda Eckert is the man for the job longer term, we will see here how he reacts to a defeat, how he reacts to the manner of the defeat and how he will deal with what went wrong in this game.

Will he show maturity beyond his years and have identified not only what went wrong but how to fix it.

Although Leo Scienza was a big loss, it should not have been an issue, with the squad we have we should have been able to deal with it, but we never really got going in this game.

So a big game next weekend as we face fellow promotion hopefuls Birmingham City, they are only a point ahead of us, we have to make it two in front by 5pm on Saturday, we need all the advantages we can get and that included not only a full squad but a full house and full backing from the home fans, our support has been great this season, both home and away, but empty seats don't make any noise we need to see them filled for this one and indeed a few days later when West Brom rock up at St Mary's.

All Photos Via Reuters

ElSanto added 09:45 - Dec 1 Callum Robinson needs to put on a bit of weight and be more aggressive. I'm starting to get frustrated with him - if Lavia could hold his own in terms of strength at 18, so should he. Until he is able to show this I think he should only be used as a sub for the rest of the season. Shea has got better at this, so it's definitely something he can work on. Nathan Wood has shown himself to be a useful defender in the Championship, although I do worry about his ceiling. On Saturday the difference in passing was obvious between him and a Harwood-Bellis. I am also getting more concerned about his temperament and would like to see him use his head a bit more. Again, he is a decent defender, but I think suited more to a team that tries to disrupt and bully. Hopefully we can get back to winning ways against Birmingham. Kudos to Millwall for playing well against us.

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kenchilds70 added 09:56 - Dec 1 I thought that substitutions were to blame for Saturdays loss. Jander and Manning were both struggling so after scoring felt two changes were needed. Welington and Romeu. Millwall played us off the park for most of the second half and we did well to get that second goal, and when Aribo probably the worst player we have came on I felt the game was gone. Hopefully Tonder learned a big lesson.

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SaintPaulVW added 10:06 - Dec 1 Millwall just looked more aggressive for most of the match. I thought the subs were poor. Unfortunately the performance seemed to get worse when they were made. Even sadly Romeu who played a part in losing the ball for a goal. Progress isn't a straight line, so hopefully this helped Tonda gain experience with both the championship and the squad when the pressure is actually on. COYR

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davidargyll added 10:15 - Dec 1 A couple of things: 1. I do reckon that for the players this was almost the best result insofar as it was a wakeup call. We were good for a lot of the time but ultimately the side with the greater desire won and showed that, if you want to get promoted, winning is all about never, ever, giving up… 2. Secondly I don’t think the boys or TE should get down on themselves. A few forced changes at shortish notice from a reasonably settled team and we didn’t really gel. But is that so unusual in any squad? As a result of which, without a huge extra slice of luck - and we had a fair bit as it was - winning never looked likely; and the (one point) difference between drawing and losing is never going to be as decisive as between winning and drawing.

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kingolaf added 10:31 - Dec 1 I didn’t like the return to slow ponderous possession football with no purpose. It was a throwback to the bad old days but seems to be the comfort zone for some of our players who don’t seem to have got over the sacking of Martin. I am talking specifically about Baz, THB, Stephens and Manning. My fear is they have too much influence and our inexperienced manager is ill-equipped to deal with them. The next game is huge for Eckert. Another display like Saturday and I think the board will get someone experienced in, which would be my preference. Aribo’s effort on Saturday was poor. He deserved to get chinned in the dressing room afterwards and I hope someone stuck one on him.

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SanMarco added 11:14 - Dec 1 I think I will go with davidargyll and put this down to one of those things. We shouldn't award the full-time job to TE until he shown he can deal with such set-backs. We will only move up the table in a solid way if we sort the defence out. Without playing well we scored two goals. That should be enough for at least a point even against the better sides. I have seen lots of strength-in-depth style comments this even. If that is true then we should be able to deal with a couple of absences, whoever they are.

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Saintjonah68 added 11:36 - Dec 1 Seem to be missing the point that we reverted to poncing around at the back with the ball again, I think two players passed the ball to each other like it was a Tennis match, rather than what we had been doing and getting it down the wings as quick as possible and driving them backwards. We went back to inviting them onto us, wasting time and effort. This is why Eckert should not get the job......yet.

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wibbersda added 12:09 - Dec 1 Reason we didn't win : No Leo Reason we lost : Bozo-unu and his retractable arms
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Saintsince67 added 14:22 - Dec 1 My first post, but regular reader of this site and been to hundreds of games since the Ron Davies days. Firstly, well done Nick and others for providing a forum for debate. With regard to Tonda, I like him, would it be good for him to have a Martin O'Neill type person as mentor/advisor?
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landsdownsaint added 14:35 - Dec 1 I like Tonda , I think he’s going to be a top manager but I still feel the club needs a proven no nonsense football man at the club , Warnock or a Martin o Neil type , the board must know that someone of Tondas age could lose the dressing room very easily, I certainly don’t want him to go .
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underweststand added 15:23 - Dec 1 Probably the best Millwall side in a decade, as they continued their policy of playing tough guys in MF, and a Goliath at CB, otherwise we were simply a tad short all over the pitch. Three games in a week was a bridge too far for some of our lads and although Robinson and Bragg did little wrong, they aren't up for a tough game at this level and they didn't contribute much to the overall team performance. Missing Leo Scienza tipped the balance. One of two of our experienced players were a bit under par, and the prestige of 4 good wins was quickly lost after the final whistle. BUT at 2-2 in the 96th minute ..says something for the effort that the team did produce and now we know a little of how Wrexham fans must have felt after the game at SMS. The result was no reflection on Eckert and we must surely continue with him through until the New Year before making THE big decision. I don't fancy the idea of any new manager having to look back at videos of our season so far, whilst trying to learn everyone's name, and it would be a poor Christmas present for the players and staff throughout the club.

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underweststand added 15:23 - Dec 1 Probably the best Millwall side in a decade, as they continued their policy of playing tough guys in MF, and a Goliath at CB, otherwise we were simply a tad short all over the pitch. Three games in a week was a bridge too far for some of our lads and although Robinson and Bragg did little wrong, they aren't up for a tough game at this level and they didn't contribute much to the overall team performance. Missing Leo Scienza tipped the balance. One of two of our experienced players were a bit under par, and the prestige of 4 good wins was quickly lost after the final whistle. BUT at 2-2 in the 96th minute ..says something for the effort that the team did produce and now we know a little of how Wrexham fans must have felt after the game at SMS. The result was no reflection on Eckert and we must surely continue with him through until the New Year before making THE big decision. I don't fancy the idea of any new manager having to look back at videos of our season so far, whilst trying to learn everyone's name, and it would be a poor Christmas present for the players and staff throughout the club.

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underweststand added 15:25 - Dec 1 OOPS ! sorry for the duplication, I blame my arthritic fingers.
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Jesus_02 added 16:24 - Dec 1 Im inclined to agree with @kingolaf "I am talking specifically about Baz, THB, Stephens and Manning." There is a balance to be saught and although Stephens didnt really make any massive mistatkes his being in the backline just slowed us down far too much. Baz and Manning had done well the epreviuos 4 games and the big revelation was how quickly we moved the ball through midfield to Arma and his balls down the channels. Quarshie is less confident with the ball at his feet and so he makes more safty first type decisions and people seemed more switched on to make themselves available for him. Its a similar scenario when deciding McCarthy or Baz. McCarthy (and everyone around him) knows his short passing is an accident waiting to happen so he goes long far more often. Of the two I preffer playing Bazunu but I dont think he can play in the same deffence as Stephens.

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Jesus_02 added 16:25 - Dec 1 1 more thing our bench was shocking. No attacking players at all and all 5 centre halves in the matchday squad.
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Bowlercow added 17:02 - Dec 1 I don't think I will ever get 100% enjoyment from a game where we play a back 3 especially if it includes Stevens We were lucky to get the pen just because refs just don't give them VAR in the prem has failed to cut out the wrestling and shirt pulling Their worldy second goal may not have happened if Aribo hadn't turned away from blocking or deflecting it He really was off the pace and looked totally uninterested The winner really should have been cleared off the line but THB had an air shot at it Yes we missed Leo but our squad shouldn't be so badly affected by one missing player Interesting that the substitutions are already being criticised by some I've said before no manager will ever satisfy all fans when it comes to changes

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halftimeorange added 17:52 - Dec 1 I wondered , not for the first time, just how fit our players are. Lots of sickness in the camp recently and outpaced by a battling Millwall team with no outstanding stars. Having Neill as their manager gives them a head start in terms of experience, add that to their workrate and we lose at the death. It should have been avoidable.
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YosemiteSaint added 18:45 - Dec 1 I'll use my own arthritic fingers to echo underwestand's own in pointing out that Millwall looked every bit the part of the sides we'll need to beat to enter the playoff places. Much credit should be due them for our wake-up call. We lost, but we this defeat should remind us of how far we've come and how far we've yet to go.
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BigbadBarry8myboat added 18:57 - Dec 1 So we go from Leicester, a quick attacking set up, to Millwall who play the same way this year, and take Quashie out (who was brought in for his pace) only to drop Stephens in again. 3 -0 to 2 - 3. When will we learn? Also another case of Bazunu not being able to cope with the ball going across him, 1st and 3rd goals. Liability. The sooner we stop having to make changes for every game, for no reason, and get rid of those two (Bazunu and Jack) the better.

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bryanK added 19:47 - Dec 1 Disappointing but the better team won and no one will argue with that. I, like many want to see a winning team either with this manager or like many a strong experienced person. I may be totally wrong but there always appear to be an undercurrent in the team when Harwood Bellis and Stephens are selected and the buildup is very pedestrian which sets the tone for how we play. The comments regarding Aribo are spot on and although we appear to have a strong squad we certainly missed the injuried scienza. Overall the January transfer window should be looking at a new goalkeeper and not one but two no nonsense centre backs.

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Farlow added 20:01 - Dec 1 That was one of the worst disaplays ive seen from a Saints Keeper.Their equaliser hes stood in the wrong position at the near post.The boy panics he has no idea where his goal is the number os times he dives when the ball is going nowhere nea the goal is ridiculous, Across comes over and hes lost.I ear people say Millwall were the better team but they had a proper goalie.

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BigbadBarry8myboat added 20:03 - Dec 1 BryanK, so why have we looked quicker with THB but no Stephens in other games? I don't think Stephens has the vision to pass forward and with him in the team, others are forced to play out of position to cover for him. He's also not good enough on the ball. However I don't think any defence will consistently keep clean sheets with Bazunu behind them.
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Farlow added 20:05 - Dec 1 Aribo is not a holding midfielder at Rangers he was an attacking midfielder who scored loads of goals.Square pegs in round holes as per.
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IanRC added 00:52 - Dec 2 I think we should have had a penalty in the first half when Robinson was pulled back and therefore was off balance when he took his shot. There was also a suspicion of handball out on the wing for before the cross for their winner. That said for much of the game Millwall were the more aggressive side and probably deserved the win. We badly missed Scienza and Aribo was a disgrace. Hoping for much better next Saturday.

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