Millwall’s Neil Harris believes there’s no need to defend his footballing conduct after his red card at Middlesbrough.

The Lions boss was send to the stand in the 1-1 draw shortly before the half as referee Jon Brooks dismissed Harris for an altercation with ‘Boro first-team coach Leo Percovich in the dug-out.

Percovich was holding on to the ball in the technical area and Harris tried to dislodge it but his stray swing missed and caught the arm of the ‘Boro coach.

"We were so dominant in the first half that I was trying to hurry along with the game,” Harris said.

“He's got the ball under his arm, and I sort of wanted to hit the ball from under his arm. It wasn't aimed at the coaching staff, but he's moved and I've hit his arm.

"There's no issue there, and I was a little bit surprised I was sent to the stand for it considering there was never going to be an issue with Middlesbrough's coaching staff.

“I'm a little bit disappointed with that when I thought the fourth official might have had a little bit more of an input into various decisions on the pitch."

The Millwall boss accepts he should not have strayed into the Middlesbrough technical area, but feels his dismissal was harsh.

Harris said:

"I don't think there's a problem between me and the Middlesbrough staff,” he continued.

“What I will say is that I went into their technical area, and that's a no-no.

“So apologies to Jonathan (Woodgate) and his group for that.”

Paddy McNair opened the scoring for Boro on 70 minutes before substitute Tom Bradshaw levelled the tie with his first touch after coming on six minutes later.

The draw puts pains from the 4-0 midweek defeat at Fulham behind them and puts the Lions on eight points from a possible 15, as they welcome Hull City to The Den on Saturday.