'A little bit unjust' - Millwall boss reacts to Leeds United defeat and key referee decision

Rowett admitted Leeds’ attacking arsenal has the capacity to hurt any team and took the blame for second half substitutions which left the hosts open to counter-attacks.

The ex-Derby County and Stoke City manager felt Millwall had a handle on the game at certain points, matching Leeds in ‘periods and moments’.

"It felt a little bit harsh. Of course, you concede three goals and the opposition score three goals and don’t concede and of course a three-nil scoreline is what it is – it doesn’t look a fair reflection of the effort the players put in, in some of the moments and periods of the game,” Rowett told reporters after the game.

"It’s a tough league the Championship, against teams like Leeds who have the ability to bring on players that they have, the likes of Gnonto, Summerville, Piroe, Rutter, and then suddenly you can bring on Dan James, you can bring on Anthony, Gelhardt – they’re obviously gonna hurt teams when there’s space on the pitch because that’s what they’re very, very good at.”

Leeds hit the hosts on the counter during the second half, scoring twice from fast breaks, including one strike, finished by Rutter, which began with a Millwall corner.

"We go from those periods of pressure where we’re doing a lot of things well and a lot of things right to concede a poor goal. I think you could look at lots of examples on both teams where players are going down with not a lot of contact and that’s not for me to pinpoint those moments but there was a challenge on [Kevin] Nisbet, the referee waved it on and then ten seconds later we concede the goal,” Rowett added.

"I’m not suggesting that’s the referee’s fault at all but it was a moment you can look back on and say ‘okay, well did you get it right?’

"It felt a big moment, it felt to be one-nil down to be a little bit unjust, maybe gave Leeds a tiny bit of a lift.”

Joel Piroe opened the scoring during the first half, shortly after a penalty shout in the Leeds box and what many home supporters believed was a foul by Archie Gray on Millwall forward Nisbet.

During the second half, Leeds put the game to bed, courtesy of a second Piroe finish and Georginio Rutter’s second goal of the season.

The Whites are back in action on Wednesday night away to Hull City, before hosting Watford on Saturday, September 23.