ALEX Neil said a lack of confidence and experience contributed to Millwall losing their structure after going two goals behind to West Bromwich Albion.

The Lions and Baggies played out an even first half at The Hawthorns, with the score 0-0 heading into the interval. However, Neil’s side conceded a soft goal to Isaac Price five minutes after the restart, before ex-Lion Jayson Molumby scored the hosts’ second in the 78th minute.

Neil said Millwall then played without “structure” or “discipline”, with Caleb Taylor’s 88th-minute header their best opportunity to pull a goal back.

West Brom punished the visitors a minute later through a quick counter-attack finished off by Felix Horn Myhre.

Neil was asked why he thought his side played without discipline in the final fifteen minutes.

“Loads of different reasons,” Neil said. “I think there’s a lack of confidence there, and there’s a lack of experience, certainly at this level. What happens is people in their minds then think: ‘What I’ll do is I’ll start running about and trying to get to people.’

“That’s why, at this level, there are tactics involved, because if you don’t play with structure and you don’t play with a plan and you don’t play with an understanding of where your ball’s going to go and where you’re going to show and where you’re going to stop, better players will pick you off, and ultimately, that’s what happened.

“Anybody trying to kid themselves or trying to kid me that running about like a headless chicken is effort, it’s just nonsense.”

Neil had also bemoaned Millwall’s lack of discipline after going a goal down against Birmingham on Tuesday.

NewsAtDen asked him if they were similar problems.

“No, different,” Neil said. “Because when I was talking about losing discipline, we were jumping through the middle of the pitch and leaving big spaces in front of the defence.”