Chris Wood doesn't see a future for him at West Bromwich Albion. Photo credit: Stephen Pond/EMPICS

Chris Wood is hoping that a goal on his full Millwall debut can be the first step towards a permanent move to The Den.

The striker, on loan from West Bromwich Albion until November 20, netted for the ten-man Lions as they lost 2-1 against Championship leaders Brighton & Hove Albion and he very nearly bagged a brace to snatch a point in a spirited finale.

With a first personal milestone reached, the 20-year-old New Zealand international, currently on his fifth loan spell, is hopeful that he can make a lasting impression on manager Kenny Jackett as he feels his future lies away from the Hawthorns.

“At the moment it’s a loan until November and hopefully if everything goes well we’ll maybe look at a permanent [deal] if we can,” he said.

“They’ve got four or five quality strikers back at the Hawthorns and it will be a difficult task [to get in the first team]. If I get an opportunity to I’d like to try but it doesn’t seem like I’m going to get the opportunity.”

On his introduction to life at the Lions, Wood said: “It’s been good. I’ve settled in well here and it’s felt like I’ve been here more than a week.”

The defeat on Saturday – Millwall’s third on the spin – saw the London club drop into the relegation zone, but Wood is confident they are in a false position.

“We’ve got a quality squad here and we play good football,” he said, adding: “It’s not like we’re aren’t creating chances because we are. On another day, if we put them away we wouldn’t be in the bottom three.”

He added: “We’ve got a confident squad here and from what the lads are saying, a better one that last year.”