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Millwall boss Alex Neil hailed “a really strong team performance” after two Josh Coburn goals brought three opening-day Championship points against 10-man Bristol City at Ashton Gate. The home side went a man down after 36 minutes when midfielder Adam Randell was shown a second yellow card for a foul to prevent a counter-attack. Five minutes later Coburn converted a low Ryan Leonard cross from the right to put the visitors in front, and the striker doubled the advantage after 50 minutes, netting unchallenged with a downward header from 10 yards to seal a deserved 2-0 victory. Neil said: “We started really well until some silly refereeing decisions to overturn throw-ins and turn a goal kick into a corner disrupted things. “I think there will be a lot of frustration over such decisions in Championship games this season. The referee actually had a good game, but the new rules are there to prevent teams slowing play down and killing games in the closing stages. Neither ourselves nor Bristol were trying to do that. “We were told common sense would be applied and I didn’t think it was so early in the match. “The sending-off was another talking point. The second booking for their player was right because the foul prevented us launching a counter-attack. “I can’t remember the first one if I’m honest, but what I can say is that we turned in a really strong team performance, moving the ball well and showing an abundance of quality. “We hit a post and had a goal disallowed. It was an excellent display and we thoroughly deserved to win. “Josh Coburn was one of the reasons we finished last season strongly. I didn’t think he showed that form in pre-season and we talked about it, but today he scored two goals and showed he can be one of the best strikers in the Championship.” For Michael Skubala, the outcome meant his reign as City boss has begun with two home defeats and no goals following the shock Carabao Cup exit at the hands of League Two Walsall. He said: “The sending-off changed the game. After an edgy start, we were just starting to get into the match and put together some threatening moves. “I haven’t seen the incident back, but the referee told me Adam pulled a shirt and if that was the case after already being booked, it was not a great thing to do because then it became a very difficult afternoon for us. “We had started to get further up the pitch and the game was settling into the close contest we expected. We were getting into some of the spaces where we planned to hurt their back-line. “The sending-off was not an excuse for the two goals we conceded, which came from moments we need to do better in. If we had managed to keep it at 1-0 for longer, I’m sure we could have created a situation to equalise. “When you sign so many new players they have to link and achieve some cohesion, which takes time. I thought we were seeing signs of it when the sending-off happened. “That’s the frustration. The supporters were fantastic and I’m disappointed we were not able to give them more to cheer.”