Gary Rowett admitted he thought the game was lost before Aiden O’Brien’s injury time equaliser against Nottingham Forest at The Den.

Rowett’s was facing his second defeat of his seven game reign as Lewis Grabban struck twice, on the hour and in the 87th minute to seemingly give the visitors an unlikely win after going behind to Shaun Williams’s first half header.

Rowett conceded defeat before substitute O’Brien struck in the 93rd minute after following in Williams’s parried effort.

“At 2-1 down I sat down, I thought it was over,” Rowett said.

“But the players don’t do that, they kept going, kept fighting and showed brilliant courage to get something out the game.”

The Lions dominated the first 45 and deservedly took the lead through Williams’s header from a Jed Wallace corner before Sabri Lamouchi’s half time teamtalk and substitutions looked to have turned the game for the visitors.

Fair Result?

Despite the late manner of the equaliser, Rowett was left feeling it was points lost rather than gained such was their first half showing.

“We had so many moments in the end, any Championship game when you’re 2-1 down with four minutes to go I think you’d argue it’s a reasonable result.

“It’s hard to say if it’s fair, the first half I thought it was excellent.

“First half was great, absolute brilliant play.

“They showed us a massive compliment changing their shape, going physical to combat us.

“Leaving their best two players on the bench we knew they’d try and keep it tight and try and change it when it when it opened up later on.

“Lolley and Grabban, you saw the impact they had, Adomah as well.

“They made a change and they showed what a quality side they are, that’s why they’re up the table.”

Set Piece Woes

One area that disappointed the Lions boss was the manner in which they conceded the first goal.

From a long corner Joe Worrell managed to head back across to an unmarked Grabban who had the simplest of nod-ins to silence the home crowd.

“It’s disappointing, if they open you up it should be with quality, but it was a set piece which is disappointing, it’s twice in two weeks and not like us.”

As disappointed he was with the defending of set pieces, Rowett was equally as frustrated with them in the attacking third.

“We keep getting in the final third and sometimes we lack the final bit of quality

“It’s acceptable because we haven’t got as many top class players others have in those areas as the  other have, but we were wasteful especially at set pieces.

“Unusually wasteful.

“Seven or eight hit the first man.”

The third draw in a row sends Millwall up to 12th in the league.