Kieran McKenna believes promotion-chasing Ipswich were “long overdue” a night like their 4-0 win at Millwall.

The Tractor Boys had won just once in nine games ahead of travelling to south London but survived a slow start to run out deserved victors at The Den.

Nathan Broadhead scored one and forced a Wes Harding own goal while in-form Bournemouth loanee Kieffer Moore headed home and Ali Al-Hamadi converted a stoppage-time penalty as Ipswich eased to just a second league win of the calendar year.

Despite their drop-off in form, McKenna’s side lost just twice in that run and the former Manchester United assistant will be hoping this result heralds a return to form – with a trip to Swansea next up on Saturday.

Asked about the return to winning ways, McKenna said: “I think we are long due a night like that to be honest.

“Statistically, in the last nine games we have been creating more shots and having less against than in the first nine games but sometimes football works like that.

“We were clinical and we produced the defensive moments whenever we needed to, we have been long overdue a night where things went our way.

“It was a good night’s work, a good performance in different areas. I thought we were solid in free play and controlled large chunks of the game with the ball, created a few good opportunities and were really clinical when they came.”

Ipswich survived a slow start as Millwall created a number of good chances to put themselves on the front foot.

Instead, the Lions fell behind and never recovered, with manager Joe Edwards bemoaning the outcome.

“It is a bit of deja vu, we started well with a clear plan that the players were executing,” he said.

“Their goalkeeper had a few saves to make early on. When you play against a team like Ipswich’s level, they can score goals at any time but the manner of that (first) goal can’t happen.

“It is a combination of things that throws us, we were feeling in a good place, with momentum and then the wind is taken out of your sails with a poor goal and from there until half time it just unravelled.”

Edwards has now seen his side take just one point from their last six league games and – with Stoke and Huddersfield both winning – they have dropped to 21st in the table.

“I’m not going to disregard it in a casual way,” Edwards said when asked if he looks at the table with Millwall struggling.

“Where we are in relation to the relegation zone, people are going to talk about that. The reality is we are in a rut where we are not winning games or getting points at the moment.”

New boss Steven Schumacher expressed his satisfaction despite his Stoke career beginning with a goalless draw at home to Millwall.

Following his move in midweek, the former Plymouth boss failed to secure a dream start to life in the Potteries.

Although they dominated throughout, the home side struggled to capitalise as they slipped to a ninth game without victory.

Ryan Mmaee was thwarted by former Potters’ goalkeeper Matija Sarkic and then Wes Harding in the biggest chances of the tie.

And the visiting Lions nearly punished the hosts’ wastefulness deep into stoppage time, but Stoke keeper Jack Bonham denied Aidomo Emakhu.

“There were lots of positive signs today and it’s a pleasing start,” said Schumacher.

“Jack [Bonham] got us out of trouble at the end and Luke [McNally] owes him a pint!

“That was Millwall’s only shot on goal and if that would have gone in, it would have broke all of our hearts.

“We didn’t lose the game which is important for us at this stage, so it’s a pleasing afternoon and there’s positive signs.

“The players played with more energy and the fans responded. We had that momentum and it was one-way traffic in that second half.

“We lost our rhythm towards the end but that’s to be expected with a brand-new message and management team.

“The players gave us everything today and I’m really appreciative of that. As long as we all stick together and stay on the same page, then our results will definitely turn around if we put in performances like that.

“It was a good day’s work, not perfect, but it’s one point, a step in the right direction and something to build on.”

Millwall saw their winless run extended to seven games and manager Joe Edwards admitted he still has a lot of work to do having taken charge last month.

“It was a solid performance for us,” said Edwards, whose last victory came in his opening game on November 11.

“We want to win every game, but you’ve got to respect where we’ve been as a team and we’ve been having a tough time.

“In recent weeks our performances haven’t been great and there’s been several different areas that we’ve had to address on the training pitch.

“We’ve lost too many games of late and it’s been about stopping leaking chances and goals as easily as we have.

“We’ve been going away with a lack of points because we haven’t been defending our box well enough. And when we’re in their half, we want to ask more questions and we need time to keep adding that bit.

“That final bit hasn’t been there for the past few weeks and it wasn’t there today, and that’s the final piece that we need to come together.

“We had a moment at the end where we rolled the dice but, all in all, I don’t think a draw is an unfair result for either team.”

Joe Edwards enjoyed an impressive start to life as Millwall manager as his side hammered Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 at Hillsborough.

Goals from Murray Wallace, George Saville, Wes Harding and Brooke Norton-Cuffy gave the Lions a convincing victory in Edwards’ first game at the club, while Wednesday’s miserable Championship campaign continues.

Wednesday manager Danny Rohl made two changes to the team that lost 1-0 at Bristol City last weekend, with Marvin Johnson and Ashley Fletcher coming in.

Edwards made just one switch from the side that lost at home to Southampton, with Ryan Longman joining the starting XI.

Wednesday’s best chance of the first half came when skipper Barry Bannan played in Anthony Musaba but he lost his composure and blazed well over the bar.

Millwall took the lead after 31 minutes. George Honeyman whipped in a corner from the left and Wednesday were nowhere to be seen, leaving Wallace completely unmarked for the defender to place a bullet header into the net.

Saville then doubled the advantage three minutes before the interval with a terrific effort from range. Cameron Dawson was at full stretch but the ball curled beautifully away from the Wednesday keeper.

Wednesday made a trio of changes after the break, with Jeff Hendrick and Josh Windass brought on and Bailey Cadamarteri making his first league appearance for the club to try and get the Owls back in the game, but the away side’s dominance continued.

Millwall added their third in the 52nd minute when Dawson spilled a cross and Harding was there to tap in from close range.

Owls fans were further frustrated when Windass had a penalty claim dismissed for an apparent handball in the Millwall penalty area.

Cadamarteri and Callum Paterson both had chances to get one back for Wednesday but Bartosz Bialkowski was there to save on both occasions.

Norton-Cuffy added further shine to the scoreline in the 72nd minute, driving in from the right and finishing calmly into the bottom corner. The home fans headed for the exits while the Millwall supporters were bouncing.

Victory sees Millwall move up the table to 15th but Wednesday remain rooted to the bottom of the table, Rohl with four losses out of his first five games at the club.

Millwall have confirmed James Berylson as the club’s new chairman following the death of his father earlier this month.

American businessman John Berylson, who was appointed Millwall chairman in 2007, died in a car crash in the United States on July 4 at the age of 70.

His son, James who has been on the board of directors at The Den since 2010, will now to take over as chairman ahead of the 2023/24 Sky Bet Championship season.

In a tribute to his father on Millwall’s website, he said: “It is with sincere and immeasurable pride that I take on the chairmanship of this great football club.

“It is what my dad wanted, and I am so thankful for his mentorship since I joined the board of directors in 2010 and blessed by his trust and faith in me.

“This will mark the start of a new era, one in which we will strive to fulfil dad’s legacy.”

Millwall defender Danny McNamara has paid tribute to “classy and honest” John Berylson following the death of the club’s owner and chairman.

American businessman Berylson, who was appointed Millwall chairman in 2007, died in a car crash in the United States on Tuesday morning at the age of 70.

McNamara is among those who have been paying their respects, the home-grown full-back thanking Berylson for his successful stewardship during his long tenure at The Den which has seen Millwall become established in Sky Bet Championship.

McNamara’s message in a book of condolences for Berylson on Millwall’s website read: “Suited and booted with a cigar in his hand. A classy and honest down to earth man.

“Someone who has looked after this club when times were low to make us the club we are today. Without you, this wouldn’t be the case.

“A genuine loving family man who always had the time to ask how myself and my family were. He’d talk about his family life and how much he loved golf.

“Watching him take care of my club growing up as a fan to now playing for this club is a true honour and everything we do as a club is now for you and your family. Thank you Mr chairman. RIP.”

Midfielder George Saville, who rejoined the club in 2021, dedicated Millwall’s future successes to Berylson and noted the club would not be in its current position without his guidance.

Saville wrote: “An amazing owner but more importantly, an amazing man.

“The club wouldn’t be where it is today without his dedication and support. Thank you doesn’t seem enough but everything going forward will be for him.

“Sending all my love to Mr chairman’s family, friends as well as everyone connected past and present with Millwall Football Club. Rest in peace Mr Chairman.”

Defender George Evans added: “An incredible guy who did so much for this amazing football club and me personally. Thank you for everything Mr chairman, you will be deeply missed.”

Hibernian are braced for the departure of Kevin Nisbet after Sky Bet Championship club Millwall had another offer for the Scotland striker accepted.

The London club tried to sign the 26-year-old in January but he decided to remain at Easter Road as he had only recently returned from a nine-month lay-off with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

However, Nisbet – who was recalled to the Scotland squad this week after scoring 12 goals in the season just finished following his return from injury in December – admitted last week that there was a good chance he would be moving on this summer.

The former Partick Thistle, Raith Rovers and Dunfermline forward, who has a year left on his contract, has now been given another chance to speak with Millwall after their latest offer was accepted by the Hibees.

Hibs will definitely be without another key player for the start of next term after confirming on Thursday that Chris Cadden has ruptured his Achilles and will be out for “a significant period of time”.

The right-back was carried off in the second half of last Saturday’s cinch Premiership draw away to Hearts, with the club immediately fearing the worst.

Hibs revealed on Thursday that Cadden has already had surgery on his Achilles as he starts a recovery process that is expected to run deep into next season.

The Edinburgh club also announced that Jake Doyle-Hayes, who was forced off 16 minutes prior to Cadden in last weekend’s showdown at Tynecastle, has damaged his shoulder girdle.

The Irish midfielder is set to miss the start of pre-season but the Hibees are “hopeful” that he will be available for the start of competitive action.

“Firstly, I would like to wish Cadds and Jake a speedy recovery,” manager Lee Johnson told Hibs’ website.

“Everyone is devastated for Cadds and I know he will be going through a difficult time, but as staff and players, we have to rally around him and give him as much support as possible.

“We have a first-class medical department at the club that will help him through his recovery and ensure he comes back fitter and stronger.

“With Jake, this type of injury was the best-case scenario. Unfortunately, it looks like he will miss the start of pre-season, but we know how determined he is to return as quickly as possible, so he can have a big impact for us next season.”

Gary Rowett rued Millwall’s inability to cope with the pressure of their play-off pursuit after they surrendered a two-goal lead and their top-six spot in a 4-3 Sky Bet Championship defeat against Blackburn.

The Lions went into the final-day showdown at The Den knowing a win would keep their dream to reach the Premier League alive and raced into a 3-1 half-time lead courtesy of Duncan Watmore’s brace and an addition from Oliver Burke.

But Joe Rankin-Costello’s close-range finish saw the momentum shift Blackburn’s way and Ben Brereton Diaz’s double completed a remarkable turnaround, with Sunderland claiming the final play-off berth at the expense of both sides courtesy of a 3-0 win at Preston.

“As soon as their (Blackburn’s) second went in, you could see the nerves appear in the team and space began to open up everywhere,” Rowett said.

“We got ourselves into a brilliant position but you have to handle these big moments, you have to do the right things and show control and calmness. That was something we needed to do better.

“Sometimes games throw different challenges and you either deal with them or you don’t – we didn’t and we have to work out the reasons why.

“We had to be resilient. We haven’t conceded four in a game all season before now, which shows what pressure does.

“Their fourth goal was immaterial, it was the third one which hurt us. We knew the other results, so we knew we needed a winner.

“In some ways, I’d have taken losing 1-0 more easily than losing 4-3 from 3-1 up as it feels like we’ve let it slip through our fingers.

“The season as a whole has been strong, one of progress, but at this moment in time it feels like an excuse to use that.”

Blackburn leapfrogged Millwall into seventh as a result of their victory but manager Jon Dahl Tomasson could not hide his disappointment after missing out on the play-offs on goal difference.

Rovers spent much of the season in the top six but a winless eight-match run going into this clash ultimately proved costly.

Blackburn scored the fewest goals of any side in the top 10 and their Danish boss said: “It is extremely disappointing to miss out on goal difference but we all know why we are not in the play-offs.

“We have been lacking goals – to score four today is part of life.

“We were a bit nervous at the beginning but after Adam (Wharton) equalised, we were in control before giving two stupid goals away.

“The second half was exceptional. I told the boys in that dressing room at half-time that if we got one back, we could win the game and we did it.

“This is not an easy place to come to, so to be 3-1 behind and turn it around like we did was excellent.”

Tomasson went on to confirm Rovers’ match-winner Brereton Diaz had played his last game for the club but praised the Chile international – who is out of contract this summer and has been linked with a move to Villarreal – for going out on a high.

“Ben has done really well for the club and I’m really happy for him to end with goals and play like that,” he added. “He’s a brilliant lad.”