Millwall boss Neil Harris says the top sides do not like coming to The Den this season.

The Lions have now picked up 21 of their 26 points in South London after their 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough.

First-half goals from Jed Wallace and George Saville put Millwall two goals to the good and despite a long-range strike from Stewart Downing, the hosts held on.

The victory means it’s now three games unbeaten for the Lions and Harris was delighted with the hunger his players showed.

He said: “I think it’s clear top teams don’t really like coming here this season. We are what we are as a football club, we have to make it hostile and intimidating. We have to play aggressive football with and without the ball.

“We played very good football as well, you see that with the first goal in particular. Players have got real desire and determination.

“We haven’t got players that are worth millions of pounds, but I think we’ve got a lot of players that are growing in reputation at this level because they are very good footballers.

“I think the biggest compliment I can give them is that they are a very good team – a team as in together. I thought we made a top Middlesbrough side look really ordinary at times and the disappointment is that we didn’t keep a clean sheet and we didn’t go and score four or five.”

Millwall bullied their opponents at times, most notably for their second goal.

Saville miss-controlled the ball after receiving Steve Morison’s pass and despite the chance nearly getting away from him, his sheer determination to win the ball back created the opportunity for himself as he bundled his way through the Middlesbrough defence before slotting home.

Harris continued: “At this club, the players certainly feed off the fan base, that’s no secret. Today I thought Boro dominated early and looked every bit as good a team as they are. 

“It took us 15 or 20 minutes to get a foothold in the game. Boro wanted to overload areas and switch the play, and they did that against us. When the tackles started flying in and when the referee lost that sense of control – not in a bad way, there were a couple of wrong throw-ins or whatever – it galvanised us and angered my players and we saw the response.

“When the game became rough and tumble and aggressive and a fight, we shone. If we’d got the third goal, just before half-time we could have gone on to get four and five."