Millwall picked up a big three points in the Championship on Wednesday night with a 2-0 win at Birmingham City.

It turned out to be a crucial result for the Lions, with relegation rivals Rotherham United also winning away at Queens Park Rangers.

The victory sees Neil Harris' side climb to 19th in the league table, just one point above the relegation zone, with nine matches left to play.

His side face some key battles against the likes of Leeds United, Aston Villa and Sheffield United over the coming weeks and those games will no doubt play a big part in deciding whether they will finish in the bottom three come May.

However, the Millwall boss should be able to take confidence from the fact that he has defender Alex Pearce in his side.

Pearce was handed the armband for the first time in a Lions shirt on Wednesday in what was only his second Championship start since joining on loan from Derby County in January.

The 30-year-old once again justified his place in the starting line-up with another outstanding performance at centre-back.

He produced a magnificent display against one of the most prolific strikers in the Championship in Birmingham's Che Adams, showing why is an all-round excellent defender.

The centre-back has proved himself to be a quality signing for Millwall and will no doubt play a key role in his side's battle to avoid the drop, especially if he continues to produce performances like his one at St Andrew's on Wednesday.

His contribution to the team could be absolutely vital over the coming weeks, as the Lions prepare for some big games that look set to define their season and Harris should reward the player by giving him more starts.

Pearce is also no stranger to a relegation battle, having experienced them previously in his career and managing to avoid the drop in the Championship with both Norwich City and Bristol City - experiences that could prove crucial over the coming weeks.