Perfect start for Millwall as they again enjoy their West Country date by seeing off 10-man Bristol City

West Country opener. Ashton Gate before kick-off : Picture by @YTJourno

Championship

Bristol City (0) 0 Randell s/o 36

Millwall (1) 2 Coburn 41, 50

The Lions are on the prowl once more.

One undoubtedly significant element of Millwall's success in the Championship last season was their excellent away form and adventurous approach on the road - and they are at it again.

No-one bettered the 11 wins they managed away from the Den in the league last term - not even champions Coventry City - and they look in the mood to keep going in search of away day victories.

One of those 11 came in an acrimonious trip to Bristol City, which ended with boss Alex Neil tangling with opposition players during an ugly encounter. It was not so fractious this time around though, as the Lions took full advantage of the Robins having a player sent off after 36 minutes to get their league campaign off to a flier with as comfortable a win as they could have wished for.

Josh Coburn put them in front soon after City had been reduced to 10 and they never looked back - the striker going on to double the advantage soon after the break.

They have now won on four of their last five visits to the West Country club - and six of the past eight. It is something of a happy hunting ground for them.

Within the opening minutes, Millwall's impressive approach to away games and ability to control them was already in evidence.

Tairyk Arconte took on a retreating defence to trouble the hosts and Camiel Neghli pinged a shot inches wide. They pressed high and forced corners - one Casper de Norre header clipping the top of the crossbar.

But the hosts were eager to get involved and Dom Ballard - making his league debut for the Robins after a summer switch from Orient - wasn't far away with a shot on the turn.

Coburn was yellow carded for feigning a trip from the goalkeeper - according to ref Lewis Smith, who was very close to the action - but Lions fans were just as interested in the sight of Jed Wallace warming up on the touchline for City - the former Den regular getting the customary Millwall welcome.

There was an early blow for Neil when Femi Azeez picked up and injury and was forced off after half an hour but a few minutes later, the Lions got a huge boost when City midfielder Adam Randell picked up his second yellow card of the afternoon for trying to stop a breakaway by manhandling Coburn.

With the extra man advantage, the path was clear for the Lions to seize control and they were soon in front when Coburn snaffled a rebound from close range after City keeper Sam Tickle could only parry a cross in from the right into his path.

After the break, Coburn soon doubled the lead. He almost rattled in a cross by sub Kyrell Lisbie, but Tickle stood tall to save it. It did not matter though, because the striker nodded home the second goal moments later after getting on the end of Jenson Metcalfe's hanging cross from the right.

With the Robins increasingly in disarray, Arconte should have made it 3-0 but contrived to hit a post with the goal at his mercy.

Wallace came on to ruffle the top of the net from a free-kick in a rare home attack, but it was all about damage limitation for his new team long before the end.

Millwall came so close to going up last time around - only falling short in the play-offs. But on this admittedly small-sample evidence, they look very capable of mounting another serious challenge for promotion.

Robins: (4-2-3-1) Tickle - Tanner, Dickie, Eissat (Cardines 56), Atkinson - Knight, Randell - Hirakawa (Williams h/t), Ballard (Wallace 64), Greenwood (Riis 64) - Tolaj (Bell 64)

Lions: (4-2-3-1) Jensen - Leonard, Taylor, Cooper, Sturge (Kelly 83) - De Norre, Metcalfe (Sykes 64) - Azeez (Lisbie 29), Neghli, Arconte (Cundle 64) - Coburn (Dykes 83)

Attendance: 24,168