Luke Cundle struck the winner on his debut as Millwall claimed a third successive victory in the Sky Bet Championship with a 2-1 result against QPR.
The home side were ahead after just 29 seconds through Aaron Connolly, a lead which lasted minutes before Alfie Lloyd equalised.
However, Cundle’s header after 25 minutes proved the difference as Millwall enjoyed a first league win at The Den under boss Alex Neil, having claimed back-to-back victories on the road during the previous week.
QPR were without head coach Marti Cifuentes in their dugout due to illness, with his assistant Xavi Calm taking charge for the day, and the visitors found themselves trailing after just 29 seconds.
Tristan Crama’s low ball across was missed by Mihailo Ivanovic but ran for Connolly, who steered his first goal for the club into the bottom corner.
The Hoops were not floored by this early blow, however, and were level in the third minute when a flowing move led to Kieran Morgan playing the ball into the box for Lloyd, who scored via the post.
The early action kept coming as the Lions nearly restored their lead in the sixth minute when Ra’ees Bangura-Williams’ shot from just outside the area crashed off an upright.
The match then finally settled down after a frantic opening, although Ronnie Edwards almost put QPR ahead halfway through the first half with a deflected long-range strike that dipped just over.
Instead, it was Millwall who had the game’s third goal after 25 minutes when Cundle nodded in the rebound after George Saville’s header from Crama’s cross had come back off the bar.
It was a 2-1 lead the hosts retained into half-time and QPR struggled to find a second equaliser during what was a scrappier start to the second half.
However, they found a second wind in the final 20 minutes and came close to levelling again when Harrison Ashby’s header from fellow substitute Koki Saito’s cross was pushed wide by the fingertips of home goalkeeper Luke Jensen.
From the resulting corner, taken by Kenneth Paal, Morgan Fox rose highest but his thumping header was again well saved by Jensen.
The Millwall keeper needed to be alert again in tipping over a ferocious drive from a tricky angle by Tottenham loanee Yang Min-hyeok.
Saito was proving very lively after coming on and it was from the Japanese midfielder’s cut-back that Sam Field’s deflected effort produced another fine save by Jensen as the hosts clung on for victory.
