Millwall 3 Bristol Rovers 2: First Leicester City, then Scunthorpe United … now Millwall can be added to the list.

Bristol Rovers have played each of those top-five clubs in the last few weeks and lost every time, despite having more than their fair share of the game.

And you don't need a degree in rocket science to work out the reason.

It was glaringly obvious within the first 18 minutes of the latest setback at the New Den as Millwall capitalised on two more slack pieces of defending – the first, almost inevitably, from a set piece – to leave the visitors with a mountain to climb.

"We've played a lot of teams from the top half of the table and have been the better side or just as good as them so it's frustrating that we don't come away with wins," acknowledged Rovers striker Jo Kuffour.

"If we were getting battered every week then it would be really disappointing. But we're not – we're outplaying a lot of sides and just paying the price for mistakes.

"If we can sort that out, I'm sure we'll start climbing the table."

Millwall's breakthrough came in the fifth minute from their first corner of the game. Rovers keeper Steve Phillips was impeded as he tried to deal with it, managing only a partial punch clear, and the ball was played back across goal for on-loan Leeds United marksman Tresor Kandol to tap in.

Twelve minutes later, left-back Aaron Lescott – under pressure from winger Lewis Grabban – opted to roll a back-pass towards Phillips but failed to spot Kandol lurking.

The interception was inevitable, but the striker still did well to take the ball away from Phillips and find the far corner from an acute angle.

To their credit, the visitors responded immediately when the irrepressible Rickie Lambert nodded home from a Stuart Campbell corner.

But the visitors were forced to reorganise after 26 minutes when Chris Lines received a nasty injury after a clash of heads with Jimmy Abdou and had to be stretchered off.

It was honours even for the rest of the opening period, although there was a bizarre moment in stoppage time when referee Graham Scott suddenly showed a red card – although it was unclear who was the intended recipient.

After consultation with the fourth official, both sides were allowed to continue with 11 men and it appeared the man with the whistle, who had just booked Abdou, mistakenly believed he had also cautioned the Lions' midfielder earlier in the game.

Rovers had the better of things after the break with Lambert threatening to put the visitors back in the game almost single-handedly.

Keeper David Forde held one effort above his head, but rode his luck when another effort from the Scouser bounced just in front of him and deflected up and over the bar – not that he knew much about it.

Forde then managed to parry away a 30-yard Lambert free-kick near the foot of his post and had another escape when Joe Jacobson's first-time strike from 25 yards flew inches wide.

But against the run of play, Millwall increased their lead in the 72nd minute when Gary Alexander capitalised on another poor clearance and smashed home a fierce strike with Phillips out of position.

It could have been game over two minutes later, but Phillips made a fine save to tip away a 22-yarder from Marc Laird.

And Rovers' hopes of salvaging something were raised again 11 minutes from time when Kuffour received the ball with his back to goal, turning well to score from 12 yards.

"I thought we played well going forwards. It was just unlucky that they scored the third goal when they did because we were on top of them at the time," Kuffour reflected.

"We conceded two early goals and it was always going to be difficult to get back into the game. We scored two goals ourselves but it was too big a mountain to climb.

"It's down to errors and if we can cut out our mistakes and concentrate over the full 90 minutes, I'm sure we can become a top 10 team."

Millwall boss Kenny Jackett was happy to see his side continue the best home record in League One, but admitted the visitors had caused their fair share of problems.

"Bristol Rovers are a very good footballing side who have a big threat in Lambert – and Kuffour scored a good goal as well," he said. "I never felt comfortable during the game – even when we were two goals up. We needed the third goal. I'm just pleased that our strike power meant we were able to win the game."

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