Last week, I suggested that Millwall should take the initiative against Oxford in the first leg of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy area final.

Although I anticipated a tough match against the in-form League Two side, I still harboured strong hopes of going into the second leg with a lead… I should have known better.

You can’t deny the visitors deserved their 2-0 win, but they didn't have to work too hard for it.

From start to finish the Lions were lacklustre all over the pitch – Jed Wallace the only player to come out of it with any credit.

The much maligned David Forde kept his place in goal having recently dislodged Jordan Archer from the number one spot.

For such a great servant to the club, it’s a shame that this performance could well have been his last.

Nearly a week on, I still wince when I see a replay of the opening goal. I love the big Irishman, but his time must surely be over now.

The second half was marginally better, but at no point did I feel like a goal was coming our way.

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When we go a goal or two down, our default setting seems to be to pump the ball high and long and see what happens.

Worryingly, Neil Harris seemed to confirm this was the team’s game plan too.

Don’t get me wrong, Millwall will never be a sleek, tika-taka kind of club – Kenny Jackett tried it once and failed. But it would be nice to attack teams with purpose rather than reverting to hit and hope.

I don’t mind playing a direct style, as long as it’s done properly.

Frustratingly, this is exactly what fans got on Sunday afternoon.

The performance against Port Vale was just what many of us were hoping for against Oxford. Right from the word go, we pressed high, got the ball wide, got crosses into the box and shots away on target.

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Jordan Archer returned in goal – a welcome sight for the back four and everyone in attendance. Lee Gregory took his goal tally to twelve and Steve Morison also added his tenth of the campaign.

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Vale’s consolation in the second half took the gloss off the result slightly, but we had well and truly taken our foot off the gas by that stage. Even then, we could have had another two or three.

The Valiants now share first prize with Colchester as the worst side I’ve seen down the Den this season. The fact they were just a point behind us going into the fixture shows just how bizarre this division is.

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The 3-1 victory now leaves us just a point outside the play-off spots with two winnable fixtures against Chesterfield and Crewe to come.

Whether we get those wins or not will depend on which Millwall turn up on the day.

And I think this is what has got most fans wound up. We really are Jekyll and Hyde: one week abject, the next promotion contenders.

I genuinely believe we have the makings of a good team – the three front men all being into double figures for the season shows that.

Neil Harris just needs to find a way of getting these players to do it on a regular basis… If he can, I fully expect us to occupy one of the top six positions come May.

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