LIONS boss Kenny Jackett admitted his side paid the price for not capitalising on their second half pressure in yesterday’s 2-0 FA Cup semi-final defeat against Wigan.

The Premier League side dominated the first half but only had Shaun Malloney’s 25th minute strike to show for their efforts at the break.

Jackett’s half-time team talk clearly had the desired impact as the Lions emerged with the bit between their teeth in the second period, creating all sorts of problems for the Wigan defence.

However, they were unable to convert any of the opportunities which fell their way and were finally undone by a 78th minute counter attack which ended with Callum McManaman adding Wigan’s decisive second goal.

Jackett said: “We had a 20 minute spell where we put some pressure on Wigan going in to our own fans.

“We needed something to fall for us.

“A rebound came off Mark Beevers and could have gone anywhere, perhaps a penalty decision with a handball, although it was point-blank, and some general crosses where it didn’t quite fall for us or we didn’t make it happen.

“We needed in that period to get the equaliser and to get back into the game.

“The first half was tough for us.

“We defended sterlingly during that period and when you are playing against a side from a higher division you must make sure in those periods you are still in the game and we did that.

“In the second half we had Wigan under a certain amount of pressure and needed to score in that period.

“That didn’t happen and they scored a very good goal on the break which effectively killed the game for us.

“I’m very proud of my players and their efforts for getting this far in this competition.”

All attention now turns to Tuesday evening’s Championship meeting with Watford at The Den, a game Millwall will be desperately looking to win to avoid getting drawn into an end of season relegation battle.

Jackett said: “Ultimately today to lose the game was disappointing but the good thing for us and what we’ve just been talking about is putting this to one side and getting over it quickly because we have some Championship games coming up.

“We are behind on games.

“I think now for the rest of the division we will have played the least amount of games.

“We will have two games in hand on people and that has been the case for some weeks while we’ve been progressing in the cup we’ve been fighting a battle to stay in the Championship as well.

“For us and for our players what we’ve just been talking about is focusing on that quickly and making sure there is no hangover after today’s loss.

“We play at home to Watford on Tuesday and then away at Huddersfield on Saturday.

“As a group it would be better if we could get win some games sooner rather than later.”

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