Latics suffer Millwall defeat

STEPHEN Robinson: First-day defeat

MILLWALL 3 ATHLETIC 0

ATHLETIC suffered an opening-day defeat at the hands of last season's play-off finalists.

Stephen Robinson fielded 10 new players from the start, a symbol of a summer of change.

But Millwall took the lead after only 13 minutes. Cameron Burgess brought down Ben Thompson in the box and Lee Gregory slotted the penalty home low in the right-hand corner.

Athletic grew into the game and Josh Law was inches wide with a 25-yard free-kick, but right at the end of the first half a corner kick was not cleared and Aiden O'Brien hammered in the loose ball.

Byron Webster made it 3-0 when sliding in a corner kick from Worrall only 49 seconds into the second half.

Marc Klok went close with a second-half free-kick and Darius Osei slid a shot wide, but Athletic were well beaten.