MANAGER Neil Harris admitted his Millwall side used the same "game plan" which saw him beat Southampton earlier in the season with Gillingham. 

The Lions beat Russell Martin's promotion-chasing Saints 2-1 on Saturday, a result which saw the St Mary's side fall to their third loss in four games.

Harris knocked Southampton out of the League Cup earlier this season while he was manager of the League Two team, although he faced a heavily rotated Saints during that game.

Having only rejoined the Lions earlier in the week, the 46 year old was not afforded a great deal of time to work with his squad ahead of travelling to the south coast.

With that in mind, Harris leaned on the game plan he deployed to beat Saints back in August, which yielded him the same outcome for Millwall.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, Harris said: "We used a similar game plan again today.

"We couldn't give up space in the middle of the pitch. We knew that Russ' teams are too good and too structured to do that.

"We didn't give up space. They very rarely got through us. We knew we had to invite them wide, but there they have got the best one-vs-one players in the league.

"We knew we had to defend well. That is why we played the defenders we did. I felt like they could stop them because of what I learned earlier in the season.

"It was two different teams today. No disrespect to the Gillingham players, but our players were better today, we used a similar game plan and got the same outcome.

"We had to rely on set-pieces and counters and we deployed them well. It was a brave header (from Japhet Tanganga). I thought we should have scored from an inswinging corner in the first half.

"You have to find a way against Southampton because they are a top side. We had to go mid-to-low block. Players had to trust in that. We got a bit of luck with the penalty, but sometimes you have to welcome that luck."