Gary Rowett is happy for Millwall to continue flying under the radar in their quest for a Championship play-off spot after starting the season with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.
Romain Esse’s 79th-minute strike secured victory at the Riverside for the Lions, who missed out on a top-six place on the final day of last term after their capitulation in a home defeat to Blackburn.
The Lions have strengthened with the addition of five senior players this summer, yet when most pundits were making predictions of who would be challenging for promotion this campaign, Millwall rarely featured on their lists.
Rowett accepts that his club might not have as high a profile as some of their Championship rivals, but is hoping they once again punch above their perceived weight over the course of the next nine months.
Rowett said: “It doesn’t bother us – we enjoy that underdog tag. We’ve had four seasons where we’ve been very, very close to the play-offs, and the last two seasons have gone to the last game.
“If people write us off, maybe that’s people who haven’t looked at our squad. I think we’ve strengthened well and I think we’ve got a good squad.
“If you look at this division, it’s always easy to pick the big-name teams or the teams that have come down from the Premier League, and I understand that. Nine times out of 10, those teams bounce back up because they have the quality and the resources.
“I’d expect a club like Middlesbrough to be ahead of us in people’s thoughts of what’s going to happen at the end of the season, but that doesn’t stop us from being what we are.
“People label Millwall a certain way, but if you look at today, yes we defended diligently, yes we transitioned well, but we actually played some really good football as well and we’ve got some talented players.”
That talent was apparent in Millwall’s winning goal, with two young substitutes combining to unlock the Middlesbrough defence.
Aidomo Emakhu skipped clear down the left to slide over a low cross and Esse produced a composed curled finish to claim his first senior goal.
The result was a setback for Middlesbrough, who continue to pursue a new left-back and centre-forward ahead of the transfer deadline.
Michael Carrick accepts his side looked short in the final third, although he did not want to attribute the final result to a lack of transfer activity in the last couple of weeks.
Carrick said: “It’s disappointing. We came here to try to win the game, but in the first game of the season, sometimes you don’t really know what to expect.
“I think we had good players on that pitch, who were capable of playing in a good team and playing well. They were capable of scoring goals and creating goals.
“Just because we lost the game, it doesn’t always mean what people might label it with. The players are definitely good enough. It doesn’t stop us from wanting to improve, but it’s an easy throwaway thing to say that because we didn’t win and we didn’t score, we need (new) players to get to where we want to be.
“I would like to add players, but I’m really happy with the players we’ve got in the squad.”
Peter Fahey notched up his fourth winner of this year’s Galway Festival when Ambitious Fellow scored in the feature BoyleSports Handicap Hurdle.
Fahey had already struck with A Law Of Her Own, The Big Doyen and A Sign From Above earlier in the week before Ambitious Fellow prevailed at odds of 14-1.
It was the second of Fahey’s winners partnered by Sam Ewing, who was also on A Law Of Her Own – his first winner of the season.
Ambitious Fellow always appeared to be travelling within himself before Ewing made his bid for home two out.
Once he hit the front, he had to be kept up to his work to see off Noel Meade’s Bugs Moran by three-quarters of a length, with the favourite Icare Allen six lengths away in third.
“Sam made a good move to nip up the inner before coming down the hill and it could have been the winning and losing of it. It was a brave move but it worked out great for him,” said Fahey.
“He lost his form a little bit but had an issue after he ran at Limerick last year and it took him a while to get back right. He had a lovely run the last day when he was completely wrong at the weights, but it gave him confidence coming here.
“I was worried about the ground but it worked out great.”
He added: “There are four involved in the OGB Partnership including Ber (his wife) and after he won a bumper, we brought him to the sales but couldn’t get anyone to buy him. We brought him home and he has now won at the Punchestown Festival and has landed a big pot today.
“We had four winners last year, we’ve had good old craic again and it has been brilliant.”
Aidan O’Brien enjoyed a short-priced double through Navy Seal (1-4 favourite) in the BoyleSports Casino Irish EBF Maiden and Portland (15-8) in the Gra Chocolates Irish EBF Nursery Handicap.
Stable representative Chris Armstrong said of Navy Seal: “He was a still a bit babyish throughout the run but came on from Killarney, where he ran a nice race on debut.
“Seamus (Heffernan) felt once the penny dropped, he showed a nice turn of foot to quicken up and peg back Joseph’s horse (Bad Desire). He will come on from it and will be a nice middle-distance horse for next year.
“He’ll probably step up to stakes company now and into something like the mile Group Two at Leopardstown during Champions Weekend.”
Comeback defender Jack Iredale scored his first goal for the club as Bolton recorded their best opening day win for 12 years with a 3-0 Sky Bet League One success over Lincoln.
Australian Iredale had not played for last season’s play-off semi-finalists since injuring his knee at Barnsley on January 2.
But the ex-Cambridge star needed only four minutes to make an impact, heading in Aaron Morley’s corner.
The Imps sought a quick response and Ben House fired a shot into the side netting.
However, the Trotters were always in control and Randell Williams headed wide from debutant Josh Dacres-Cogley’s cross before the interval.
Lincoln’s set-piece frailty was evident again when Wanderers doubled their lead after 58 minutes. This time the unchallenged Victor Adeboyejo headed in from Williams’ corner.
Bolton could not match their 4-0 win at QPR on the first day of the 2011-12 campaign but they added a third goal 16 minutes from time as Lincoln’s new skipper Paudie O’Connor turned a cross from George Thomason – the substitute’s first touch of the game – into his own net.
Two goals in the final seven minutes saw Raith rescue an unlikely point in a 2-2 Scottish Championship draw at Partick Thistle.
The hosts looked to have the points sewn up by the interval as Jack McMillan put them ahead in just the fifth minute, when he converted the rebound after Kerr McInroy’s shot hit the crossbar.
Aidan Fitzpatrick added a second on the stroke of half-time when he fired home from McInroy’s cross.
Raith left it late and began their comeback in the 83rd minute when Dylan Easton fired home.
Anton Dowds then hit the post for Thistle – which could have wrapped up the win – but instead, Kieran Mitchell’s 89th-minute equaliser proved decisive as Rovers left with a point on the opening day.
Newly-promoted Carlisle started life back in Sky Bet League One with a 1-1 draw against Fleetwood at Brunton Park.
Owen Moxon opened the scoring for the Cumbrians with a 30-yard free-kick, but it was cancelled out by Brendan Wiredu’s strike just before half-time.
Carlisle captain Paul Huntington went close to opening the scoring in the 29th minute, but his header from Moxon’s floated free-kick was cleared from danger by Promise Omochere.
Seven minutes later, Moxon put the home side ahead with a beautifully curled free-kick into the top left corner after he had been fouled by Scott Robertson.
Fleetwood equalised, though, in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time as Wiredu’s first-time volley flew into the bottom left corner after Huntington had headed clear Phoenix Patterson’s cross.
Jordan Gibson had a great chance to restore Carlisle’s lead just after half-time, but he miscued a shot from Fin Back’s cross with the goal gaping.
At the other end, Omochere should have scored after Josh Vela’s cross broke his way, but he pulled his effort across goal and wide.
Carlisle substitute Joe Garner, formerly of Fleetwood, saw his late header saved by Jay Lynch as the spoils were shared.
Devante Cole scored a hat-trick as Barnsley started life under Neill Collins in sensational fashion with a 7-0 thrashing of lacklustre Port Vale at Oakwell.
Liam Kitching, Jon Russell and Andrew Dallas were on also on target while Dan Jones netted an own goal as last season’s League One play-off finalists, now managed by Collins following Michael Duff’s departure to Swansea, ran riot.
The hosts broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute when debutant Corey O’Keeffe intercepted a loose pass and swept a low ball across to Cole who slotted home.
Barnsley doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time when Jones turned into his own net.
Cole, the son of former England and Manchester United striker Andy Cole, notched his second just two minutes after the break, this time latching onto Barry Cotter’s cross and lashing home.
The hat-trick was completed in the 53rd minute. As his side countered, Cole went alone and struck with just enough power for the ball to roll into the net.
Reds skipper Kitching added a fifth on the hour mark. Receiving the ball from Herbie Kane, the defender had time to control and calmly finish beyond Connor Ripley.
Collins’ side added a sixth four minutes later as Russell headed in from Nicky Cadden’s free-kick.
Substitute Dallas grabbed a debut goal in the sixth minute of added time, diving to head home from Cotter’s cross.
Two goals inside the opening five minutes helped Exeter to a 3-0 victory over a lacklustre Wycombe at Adams Park.
Debutant Jack Aitchison and captain Will Aimson both bagged early goals, before the visitors had a Sam Nombe penalty saved after just 10 minutes.
The opening left Wycombe stunned and they were unable to fight back, with substitute James Scott scoring for the visitors seven minutes from time.
Aitchison was one of 13 debutants across both sides, and made the perfect start since joining from Motherwell, scoring after just 24 seconds.
A goalmouth scramble from a corner three minutes later then saw Aimson tuck home to double the lead.
Nombe could have made it three from the spot after Demetri Mitchell was felled by Max Stryjek, but the Wycombe keeper saved superbly.
Wycombe rung the changes and had second-half penalty appeals waved away after substitute Josh Scowen was barged over in the box, but failed to muster a single clear-cut chance and Scott’s late goal saw Exeter seal victory.
Charlie Wyke scored a brace as Wigan edged a 2-1 League One win at promotion favourites Derby as the new season got under way.
Wyke scored in each half, either side of Craig Forsyth’s equaliser for Derby early in the second half.
The hosts created plenty of chances in the opening 30 minutes but Sam Tickle made good saves from James Collins and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.
Sonny Bradley headed wide but Wigan also had their moments with Callum Lang narrowly off target before Thelo Aasgaard fired just over from 20 yards.
It got even better for Wigan in the 38th minute when Bradley’s backpass sent Wyke through to round Joe Wildsmith and score.
Lang ran clear in the 45th minute but failed to beat Wildsmith and Latics were punished when Forsyth volleyed a superb 57th-minute leveller from Joe Ward’s cross.
Forsyth was denied by Tickle in the 70th minute but – two minutes later – Wyke headed in Tom Pearce’s cross.
Wigan, who started the season on minus eight points, held on through nine minutes of added time to claim an impressive win.
Tom Marquand reflected on a thoroughly satisfactory Qatar Goodwood Festival that saw him pick up not only the top jockey title but all the riding accolades.
The rider ended the week with four victories to his credit, all of which demonstrated his undeniable range of skill in the saddle.
While Hamish’s win in Friday’s Glorious Stakes was a pretty straightforward affair, Marquand twice exhibited his excellent front-running abilities, first stealing the march on Quickthorn’s rivals in Tuesday’s Group One Goodwood Cup – a trick he repeated on Saturday aboard Sumo Sam in the Lillie Langtry Stakes.
In contrast, Desert Hero had to be delivered with precision timing in Thursday’s Gordon Stakes, prevailing by just a neck to cement his St Leger claims and raise hopes of a Classic winner for owners the King and Queen.
Marquand admitted there was only ever one set of tactics with Quickthorn, but was delighted to be able to show the full range of his powers in the saddle.
He said: “Obviously with Quickthorn it was plan A – and plan A only – and I was always going to do it, and everybody knew I was going to do it.
“It was pretty special and to do that in a Group One, as a jockey I’m always conscious that you don’t want to fall into that lull of if you’re riding 140/150 horses a month, you can very easily just sort of go into an autonomous routine and you go out, you get on, you canter down, you jump out the stalls, and you can end up riding without any flair or passion.
“And I think it’s important to make sure that you ride like you enjoy it, because you do enjoy it.
“Quickthorn showcased that and then being able to go opposite and ride with a bit of playfulness in the opposite regard on Desert Hero the next day, it makes it fun as a jockey.
“I know that ultimately you have one job and that is to win and get it done, but sometimes by making sure you’re enjoying it, it can actually be the way to ride best.”
Marquand spent his formative years with the Hannon team in Wiltshire and admitted the yard’s success over the years at the meeting put an extra shine on taking the leading jockey honours.
He added: “It’s great. It’s been a good week. Coming to big meetings, you walk away with one winner and when you start that’s obviously a big deal. But the further you go through your career, you want to put your name on the placard. It’s great.
“I grew up at Hannon’s as an apprentice and Goodwood was a big, big deal. You only have to look at the table on the wall to see how many times Richard Hannon senior won it, and obviously Richard junior after, so it’s always been something you would have your eyes on from when you are an apprentice, so it’s great, it’s nice.”
Ralph Beckett came out on top in the trainers’ division, sending out three winners including the King and Queen’s Serried Ranks on Friday and Lennox Stakes hero Kinross, who was one of two winners for Frankie Dettori at his final Goodwood Festival.
Beckett said: “I am amazed, what a lovely surprise!
“It has been a very satisfying week, I have really enjoyed it and am delighted with how the horses have been running. There were too many seconds, but that is the nature of it!
“Kinross’ win in the Lennox Stakes is the obvious highlight, but also the double yesterday was pretty special.
“Classical Song’s second on debut in the maiden fillies’ race was a pleasing run, and Balance Play’s win in the handicap yesterday was a long-held plan.”
Dunfermline came from behind to make a winning start to their cinch Championship campaign by defeating Airdrieonians 2-1 at East End Park.
Airdrieonians were first off the mark when Charlie Telfer’s powerful shot hit the woodwork and Craig Watson was on hand to nod home.
The lead did not last long, however, as Ewan Otoo soon headed in a cross by Joshua Edwards.
Paul Allan pounced after the break to nudge Dunfermline in front but the hosts had to play the last 13 minutes with 10 men after Rhys Breen was sent off for a second bookable offence.
A dramatic added-time equaliser from debutant Kusini Yengi saw Portsmouth grab a 1-1 draw against Bristol Rovers at Fratton Park.
Luke Thomas had put Rovers ahead in the first half and it appeared they were heading for an opening day victory in League One before Yengi’s late strike.
The enthusiastic welcome the players received was not matched by either side in the opening period, with constant downpours making the pitch difficult to play on.
Rovers forced the early pressure and took the lead in the 24th minute. A quick break saw Jevani Brown go clear on the left and a low cross fell to the feet of Thomas, who confidently drove home.
Pompey produced two good efforts from Colby Bishop and Gavin Whyte as they pressed for an equaliser.
The second half saw Pompey coming out all guns blazing and the same pair again caused problems. Whyte had a stunning strike pushed over by Matthew Cox within the first two minutes followed quicky by a Bishop header that missed the target.
It appeared Rovers were going to hold on but Yengi headed home the equaliser two minutes into added time.
Notts County suffered a chastening return to the EFL with a 5-1 drubbing at Sutton.
The visitors conceded twice and had goalkeeper Aidan Stone sent off inside the first quarter of the game.
Sutton struck the first goal of the League Two season as Joe Kizzi headed in former Magpie Rob Milsom’s corner at the far post, and County’s afternoon got worse as Scott Kashket pounced on a poor back pass and was brought down by Stone, who was immediately sent off by referee Sam Purkiss.
Milsom’s free-kick went just wide, but substitute goalkeeper Sam Slocombe was soon picking the ball out of his net as Omari Patrick rifled a shot home from Josh Coley’s pass.
U’s might have had a third when Kashket’s looping header hit the bar.
Hopes of a County comeback in the second half lasted only five minutes as Coley’s superb cross was powered home by Patrick’s header at the far post, and as Sutton continued to boss the game Craig Eastmond’s low shot hit a post.
Jack Rose made one good save from Macaulay Langstaff, but the punishment for County was relentless as Harry Beautyman made it 4-0 from Aiden O’Brien’s pass.
County pulled one back when David McGoldrick scored from Langstaff’s pass, but any prospect of a nervy end for Sutton fans was ended by Harry Smith’s header from Kizzi’s cross.
A dramatic added-time goal from substitute Adam Idah made it a winning start to the new Sky Bet Championship season for Norwich as they beat Hull 2-1 at Carrow Road.
The Republic of Ireland international was in the right place at the right time in a late goalmouth melee to prod the ball home and settle an entertaining encounter.
Hull had taken the lead lead against the run of play in the first half with a well-taken goal on his debut from Liam Delap, only for the Canaries to level on the stroke of half-time with another sumptuous strike from youngster Jonathan Rowe – his first for his club.
Norwich made a bright start in the miserable conditions, with Gabriel Sara firing a decent effort just wide after just 40 seconds and Rowe grazing the outside of the upright with a low shot from distance.
But it was the visitors who got their noses in front with their first effort of the match in the 17th minute as some poor home defending was ruthlessly punished by Delap.
The on-loan Manchester City striker caught Shane Duffy in possession some 30 yards out and he outmuscled Ben Gibson before producing an emphatic finish into the top corner.
Angus Gunn then had to be alert to thwart Ozan Tufan after the ball had fell kindly for the Turkish midfielder in the area.
But apart from that the first half was all Norwich, with Duffy hitting the crossbar with a glancing header from a deep free-kick, Jack Stacey firing over when well placed and Matt Ingram producing an outstanding save to keep out a Josh Sargent header.
The hosts kept plugging away, however, and were finally rewarded in stoppage time with a cracker of a goal.
A fast-breaking Dimi Giannoulis did well to find Rowe in a central area and the young winger advanced to the edge of the box before cracking an unstoppable shot past Ingram to give a much fairer look to the half-time scoreline.
It was more of the same after the break, with Norwich on top, but the visitors almost regained the lead just past the hour mark when Delap burst through the centre before letting fly with a shot that appeared to be heading into the top corner until it was superbly tipped over by Gunn.
As the game headed into the final quarter, the Norwich threat appeared to be diminishing although Duffy should have better with a free header with 82 minutes on the clock.
It seemed as though the hosts would have to settle for a point but deep into added time they secured all three.
After a corner had only been half-cleared, the ball was fed back into the box and took a fortunate deflection to land at the feet of Idah, who steered it home from close range with Hull appealing in vain for offside.
Charlton got their League One campaign off to a winning start with a 1-0 win against newly-promoted Leyton Orient.
A first-half strike by captain George Dobson was enough for the south Londoners in their local derby.
Alfie May was denied his first goal for the hosts after just four minutes, when Sol Brynn stopped his effort.
Orient held their own in the first half – although they had to wait until the half-hour mark for their first attempt – as Ashley Maynard-Brewer turned away a Theo Archibald effort.
However, the hosts broke the deadlock a minute before first-half injury time. Corey Blackett-Taylor found space on the left to cross the ball in low for Dobson to finish.
Orient struggled for a breakthrough in the second half, although Tom James saw his effort after 57 minutes deflected over the crossbar.
Tyreece Campbell just failed to control the ball enough to round Brynn after 72 minutes, while May saw his shot four minutes later flash over the bar.
Substitute Panutche Camara missed a sitter in stoppage time to double the Charlton lead, but the hosts held on for the narrow victory.
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