Neil Harris said it was it was about getting "over the line” in their 1-0 victory against nine man Reading.

Jed Wallace's free-kick was enough for Millwall to take the points in a game that saw Tyler Blackett and Leandro Bacuna sent off for the visitors.

“We have played really well and got no reward, we have had some bad luck so I won’t be bemoaning my players. Today was not a great performance, I think we showed a lot of heart and a lot of energy and desire.” Harris said concerning Millwall’s lack of creativity.

“We showed some moments of quality, we could have and should have got another one or two. We saw the edginess in the stadium and in the players as well and I understand that. We have been in the lead so many times and thrown it away so I understand that, I think today I will be saying well done to my players.

“It was a cup final today. Shaun Williams used the words before the game, that it is a cup final. Playing directly above us, on the same points you do not want to lose out. It is a huge three-points."

READ: Player rating from Millwall's 1-0 win over Reading

Blackett’s red card came a minute after the opening goal, when he went in hard on scorer Jed Wallace following the kick off, while Bacuna and Ferguson got in a tangle after 50/50 and the Reading man looked to have left something on the Irish international on his way back up to his feet.

“At the time, I thought the first one he has lunged and it could go either way. It had to be a card. Having watched it back it is a really reckless and dangerous, he makes an honest attempt at the ball it is dangerous.

“The second one was right in front of me. Fergie gets trodden on. Again, can the boy avoid him? I don’t know but I can see why the referee and the linesman have given it.

Millwall’s goal came from a direct freekick in the eighth minute. Jed Wallace stood over the ball and whipped it into the top right corner with so much pace that Reading keeper, Anssi Jaakkola did not have a chance.

Reading also went close through a free-kick. John Swift hit the underside of the bar from a similar position to Wallace’s and the Millwall manager expressed his joy in some luck finally falling in the Lions favour.

“I think he [Jed Wallace] has shown his importance to us and his quality at this level. I thought we have seen two great three-kicks, Jed’s goes in and Swifts [for Reading] hits the underside of the bar.

“That is maybe that little bit of luck that we have not had over the last couple of months. After that, Jed grew into the game and with a little bit more quality in the final third we may have go on to get three or four.

“It was a typical boxing day atmosphere to start with. Ryan Leonard set the spark in the first minute. I thought he was excellent today Ryan, he set the spark with his closing down and then we scored and then they got the red card and then everyone probably sat back down again.

Despite having 10-men for 80 minutes of the game and then nine for the final two, Reading dominated 58% possession but failed to create any clear cut chances.

“I thought Reading showed some heart and character today and they certainty showed how they are going to play for the rest of the season. They are going to pass and pass the ball and they are going to cause teams problems, they have some good players but today for us it was just about getting over the line."