KEEPER David Forde believes the Lions are in better shape than last season despite a last-gasp defeat to Yeovil on Saturday.
The Glovers caught Millwall with a sucker punch in a game which had very little goalmouth action at either end.
Forde is not too disheartened by one defeat and is confident the Lions will improve greatly as the season grows.
“It is still early doors,” he said.
“You can’t go flying off the handles after one game.
“There are still 45 more games to go but we know ourselves what we should have done.
“It is always hard against teams who have just come up - Charlton got beat at Bournemouth today too - their adrenaline is up.
“I wouldn’t get too disheartened by today, I think that may have been the rocket up the arse we needed.”
Yeovil’s late winner trickled through a crowd of bodies in the Millwall penalty area and the Republic of Ireland keeper had no chance of seeing it before the ball nestled in the back of his net.
The introduction of new boy Nicky Bailey improved the Lions in the second half, but Forde pointed out you don’t always get what you deserve in this tough division.
“There were bodies in front of me,” he said.
“It was hard to see it square on and I don’t think he caught it particularly well.
“He has got lucky, in off the post.
“We had that period second half where we were better, we created chances in the game and were the better side.
“Sometimes the Championship is cruel like that and you don’t get what you deserve.
“We should have scored and not left ourselves open at the back.”
Millwall’s number one has been impressed with the summer transfer business completed by new manager Steve Lomas.
And Forde believes the Lions are now better equipped than they were this time last year as they look to battle their way into the top half of the Championship.
He said: “We are certainly in better shape now with the additions we have made, definitely.
“The manager hasn’t really fielded his side he really wanted to, but he is looking at it as the new players may not have been up to fitness.
“Once we get up and running we will be a good side here.
“Unfortunately it didn’t happen today.”
Follow @NewsShopperSprt on Twitter for live updates from Milllwall v Wimbledon.
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