Town boss Mick McCarthy was delighted with the Blues’ 3-1 victory at Millwall on what he felt was a difficult day to face a much-changed Lions side. Noel Hunt scored twice in the first half, then after Magaye Gueye had pulled one back just before half-time, Jonny Parr netted the clincher 13 minutes from time.

“I’m really pleased with the way we played and delighted with the result on what I thought was a difficult day for us to come here and do it,” McCarthy said.

“I have to say I thought their crowd stuck with them and made it difficult for us. I’m glad we got the third, obviously, as I wouldn’t have liked to have gone into the last five or six minutes with a one-goal lead. We were able to kill the game with that third one.”

He added: “I thought it was a good performance. I was very happy at the end, my team had just won 3-1 away from home on a day when it was always going to be tough, and maybe tougher because of changes that were made and what had gone on in the week.

“I thought they set off at a real pace and we managed to stem that and got our goals, which took the sting out of it for us.”

He admitted it was difficult to know what Millwall team might face him following their 4-0 loss at Bradford in the FA Cup and with manager Ian Holloway promising wholesale changes: “It was nigh-on impossible.

“I thought he would bring his three full-backs back who missed out the other night, Andy Wilkinson, Shaun Cummings and Dan Harding and I got two of them right.

“I didn’t know if he’d play Danny Shittu having played on Saturday and again on Wednesday. I didn’t know who was fit.

“I was certain that the two lads in midfield would play and I was guessing, and guessing at the shape because he played 3-5-2 on Wednesday night but lost a centre-half after six minutes.

“It was pretty difficult, and then I read his comments saying he was going to make a lot of changes and there were eight. I anticipated that he’d play 4-4-2 against us and that didn’t surprise me.”

McCarthy was pleased with debutant Freddie Sears’s performance from the bench, the former Colchester man creating the third goal: “I was delighted with him, he’s going to be a good player for us, Freddie. I’m really pleased.

“I think his career’s on the up. He said to me he took a step back to come forward, let’s hope that’s with us.”

The Blues boss was similarly impressed with two-goal frontman Noel Hunt: “An outstanding performance I thought from Hunty.

“I’m delighted with him, I said that when we took him on loan. Now we’ve signed him permanently, I’m even happier still with him.”

He dismissed suggestions that sending on winning goalscorer Jonny Parr was a tactical masterstroke: “I didn’t send Jonny Parr on to go and get the third goal. If I said that you wouldn’t believe me anyway.

“It was interesting that Fabbrini had been doing that floating on the inside all afternoon and Jonny Parr goes and does it, it opens up and what a great finish it was.”

Regarding the absent David McGoldrick, who has a knee problem, McCarthy hopes he’ll be involved at Brighton: “He’s injured. I’m hoping he’ll be back on Wednesday.”

Midfielder Luke Hyam also has a knee problem but is likely to be sidelined for longer: “He’s injured, he’s out for longer, he’ll be a few weeks, Luke.

“Cole Skuse is still ill. He trained on Thursday and was great. He came in on Friday and his lymph nodes were up through the illness. He was ill last night, so we sent him home this morning.”

Millwall boss Ian Holloway was pleased with his side's overall performance if not the result: "We have paid the price for a poor start but that's the way it has been going for us.

"I made a lot of changes to the team because it was completely necessary. I wasn't at all happy with what the display on Wednesday but I will have what we saw today all day long. I liked the effort.

"The fans were absolutely magnificent and got behind us despite what happened with going 2-0 down. The bare minimum here is that the passion, workrate and commitment is there and I think the fans saw that today. They responded to it and gave us some brilliant support.

"Unfortunately we couldn't win the game for them but we will only get better from now on."

Holloway felt Noel Hunt's second goal ought to have been disallowed: “If you look at the second goal the bloke’s fell off the pitch.

"I’ve just asked the referee to look at it. It rolls back in, he comes back in and scores, and really if you’re off the pitch, you’re off the pitch. But that’s the way things are going for us.”

Photo: Action Images

fredbarber added 18:19 - Jan 17 Love that Picture Up the town!!!
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jas0999 added 18:21 - Jan 17 All we can do is win and that's exactly what we did. Well done to Mick and the team.
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bennyitfc added 18:28 - Jan 17 Was worried we might slip up after all the hype around this one - The Den is never easy, so a very professional win. Was impressed with Bru again, and Hunt's brace will only add even more to team spirit.
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ArnieM added 18:30 - Jan 17 In Mick We Trust!
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bluefeast added 18:31 - Jan 17 That was important today. & of the top 8 sides all won.That wont happen every week clearly , so today a really valuable points hall. We are on 50 points ,another 35 from the remaining 21 games and we will win promotion i think. !st place 86 2nd place 85. 6th place 78. Its a long hard 21 games. If we get 8 points from every 12 available we will be top two i reckon.
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Bergholtblue added 18:57 - Jan 17 Actually bluefeast 7 of the top 8 won. Derby lost.
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tractorgrl added 19:11 - Jan 17 Hope skuse hasn't got glandular fever, hyam had achillies now knee=sicknote. Freddie just slotted in as you do!
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franco added 19:39 - Jan 17 Freddie Sears is gonna be one class act defo info 😄😄😄😄😄
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JCBLUE added 19:50 - Jan 17 A speed read of all the remaining fixtures suggests the top 8 seem to play each other quite a lot, our difficult fixtures are mainly at home bar Scum & Boro. I think we will win the league ..... you heard it here first!!!!!
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itfcserbia added 20:04 - Jan 17 I think this game should seal a place for Parr in the starting line-up, lad's been great whenever he played. I'm sorry but simply no room for 3 CBs in starting 11 no matter how good they are, at least when we play 4 at the back.
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NoCanariesAllowed added 20:54 - Jan 17 Was chatting to the woman sitting next to me and we were both a bit surprised to see Parr playing so far forward when he came on. Then he put that finish away with all the coolness of an experienced forward and we knew exactly why he was there! Like Mick says, it was good to get that third too - seemed we took our foot off the gas a bit after Murphy missed the chance for 3-0, and it was a bit messy and edgy in the second half until that clincher. Top work by Sears to set it up too. I wasn't sure what to expect from him when he came on but he did not look out of place at all, some lovely little touches and runs. Exciting to watch, looks full of confidence (and so he should be on the back of what he's been doing at a struggling Colchester side) and could well prove to be an excellent addition to our squad. As, it seems, is Noel Hunt!

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KiwiTractor added 22:06 - Jan 17 50 point mark ...... we're safe!
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ArnieMsBigToe added 22:34 - Jan 17 I can't remember exactly when I said it on here, but I know it was in the last two weeks. Play Parr up front. He's not only our reserve defender. He's also our reserve striker. I'm very relieved that Mick took my advice (big tongue in cheek!!) MM and TC are even more magical than I had first hoped. Any time you need any advice Mick. . . I'm always more than glad to advise :-) C O Y B s.

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boysinblue added 23:38 - Jan 17 I too am thrilled with the win, as other teams around us mostly won so was absolutely necessary. Shout out to N.Hunt for his brace too. However there is a slight concern. Once again I feel we played poorly today and we're fortunate to be up against such appalling opposition. I remember when we were too of the league 10 years ago and we'd just won at the blades, Joe royle said we can't keep getting away with playing like this. Lo and behold we didn't get promoted. There's a slight feeling of that again this time round. Charlton dominated for large parts at Portman rode and we all know about our previous 2 games. I realise we didn't have a full strength team today but would really like a performance (as well as a result) against Brighton to put my mind at rest! It's not a moan as I know we're doing fantastically well! But at the same time we can't keep getting away with performances like this

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boysinblue added 23:40 - Jan 17 *top *road !!
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Dyland added 23:41 - Jan 17 It's a massive win this, against a side with their backs to the wall. Three points up for grabs at Brighton with Dunk suspended, and momentum back with Town. Then a nice break for training and getting everyone fit again. Who gives a fooking shyte if it doesn't look like champions league highlights, I like consistently picking up points... it makes a pleasant change.
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neillrumsey added 11:44 - Jan 18 Job done 3 points and move on. Fantastic for Hunt to get a couple of goals as this will breed more confidence in the team. Mention also for Seers who made a positive impact in setting up the well taken third by Parr
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radiogaga added 13:59 - Jan 18 Tough luck for the 2nd goal Holloway. He certainly looked offside on the replays, and I'm glad he was. We haven't had much luck with officials/ big decisions the last few weeks so it's great to finally be on the right end of one. Having gone yesterday, an excellent away performance. The goal Millwall got just before half time came out of nowhere really as we were in complete control but despite Millwall's pressure & intensity second half, I thought they still rarely threatened. Excellent support from town. Interesting Holloway praised Millwall's fantastic support that flooded for the exits when Parr scored with 10 minutes still to play and started squaring up to stewards on the way out of the ground. Same old classy Millwall.

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