In a candid post-match reflection, Millwall boss Alex Neil admitted his side "rolled the dice early" after a heartbreaking 2-0 defeat to Hull City in the Championship play-off semi-finals. The loss at The Den ended the Lions' promotion dreams, leaving Neil and his squad to grapple with what might have been.

"Disappointment, frustration—those are the overwhelming feelings," Neil told BBC Radio London. "I didn't think there was much separating the teams. The first goal was always going to be the decisive moment."

Neil explained that Millwall took an aggressive approach early in the second half, introducing striker Mihailo Ivanovic in a bold attempt to seize control. "We're the home team, so we wanted to force the issue. That's why we rolled the dice a bit early with the change up front. But honestly, we just didn't have enough quality in the final third—we weren't getting into good areas or delivering dangerous crosses."

The manager brought on creative talents Alfie Doughty and Barry Bannan to spark momentum, but the plan backfired almost instantly. "Within 30 seconds of them coming on, the ball ends up in the back of our net. After that, we were chasing the game, and it became an uphill battle."

The second goal sealed Millwall's fate, coming as they pushed forward desperately. "We tried to keep the ball in play to sustain an attack, but they broke on us and scored. At that point, the game just got away from us."

For Millwall fans, the defeat stings all the more given the promise of a play-off run. But in the unforgiving world of Championship football, one moment can change everything—and this time, the dice didn't roll in their favor.