Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Millwall 1-2 Town
Millwall 1-2 Town
Tuesday, 21st Sep 2010 21:47

Town reached the fourth round of the Carling Cup for the first time since 2002/03 after beating Millwall 2-1 at the Den. Tamás Priskin and Gareth McAuley put the Blues 2-0 in front at half-time with Lions’ frontman Steve Morison netting the home side’s only reply early in the second period.

Town boss Roy Keane made wholesale changes from Saturday’s side with Tom Eastman, Gareth McAuley and Andros Townsend the only survivors from the 2-0 victory over Cardiff.

Brian Murphy returned in goal, while Damien Delaney was back at centre-half after his thigh injury. Former Lion Mark Kennedy skippered the Blues on only his third start for his new club at left-back, while Tom Eastman continued on the right.

Keane went with a four-man midfield with Luke Hyam slightly deeper than Jaime Peters in the centre, Andros Townsend on the right and Reggie Lambe on the left, although the pair swapped during the game. Colin Healy began in a role behind the more advanced Tamás Priskin.

For Millwall, who were smashed 6-1 by Watford at the weekend, ex-Blues Liam Trotter and Scott Barron started, while Kevin Lisbie was unavailable under the terms of his loan from Town.

The Blues, wearing last season’s red away strip, presumably with the black kit also clashing with Millwall’s dark blue shirts, were close to going behind in the fourth minute when Alan Dunne crossed from the right and Steve Morison headed wide when he should have done better. The Town backline felt he ought to have been flagged offside. Soon after, Chris Hackett shot wide.

Tamás Priskin looped Town’s first shot into the arms of David Forde in the 13th minute but failed to test the Millwall keeper significantly, Eastman having found the Hungarian with a ball down the right.

Former Blue Scott Barron made a clever run into space two minutes later but with various Town defenders again calling for a flag, failed to seriously threaten Murphy with a low shot to the Irish keeper’s left.

Despite the home side dominating the opening quarter of the game, the Blues went ahead after their first decent spell of possession in the 23rd minute. Andros Townsend was found on the edge of the area by a deft Gareth McAuley chip from just inside the Millwall half and the loanee from Spurs took the ball wide to the left before sending in a cross which Tamás Priskin flicked over Forde and into the net for his third goal of the season.


The goal, which came against the overall run of play up to then, was Town’s first in the first half this season, their most recent strike in an opening period having been Connor Wickham’s goal at Newcastle in the penultimate game of last season.

Town going in front seemed to completely change the game with the Blues suddenly dominating possession and Millwall looking a shadow of the side which had started the game strongly.

On 34 Colin Healy shot over having been found 20 yards out by the increasingly influential Townsend. Moments later, Dunne was yellow-carded for a somewhat agricultural challenge on the speedy winger. From the freekick the ball was cleared to Lambe, who blazed over.

Priskin had a goal chalked off in the 37th minute for offside, having finished with a delicate chip, while at the other end Trotter headed to Murphy, who claimed confidently.

In the 41st minute Townsend, who Millwall were having all sorts of trouble containing, hammered a 25-yard shot across the face from the right corner of the area. Two minutes later, Priskin sent the ball past the same post from closer in after being fed by Lambe.

Two minutes into injury time, Town made their continued domination count further. Townsend sent in a low freekick from deep and Gareth McAuley, while appearing to be pulled back by a defender, turned and volleyed a low shot which went through Forde and into the net.

The keeper will have been ruing his error as he left the field moments later after referee Andy D’Urso’s whistle had blown.

Town had ultimately deserved their lead after their slow start. The first goal changed the game with Millwall falling apart having conceded, presumably partly as a result of letting in six at the weekend, and the Blues dominated thereafter. The second goal came with the Blues laying siege to the Lions’ penalty box.

The home side woke up five minutes into the second half, Dunne and then Morison sending in dangerous crosses which Town eventually dealt with.

On 53 the Blues swapped Andros Townsend and Colin Healy for Grant Leadbitter and Jason Scotland. Leadbitter’s introduction saw Peters move wide, while Scotland took up the role behind Priskin.

Town looked in little danger until the 62nd minute when Tony Craig crossed from the left, Steve Morison out-muscled Damien Delaney on the edge of the area before cleverly taking the ball down and on into the box before beating Murphy. Soon after, Roy Keane swapped Tamás Priskin for Connor Wickham.

The goal saw the home crowd turn the noise up a touch, but most of the game was still being played in the Millwall half with Wickham’s long throw coming into play on a number of occasions.

In the 70th minute Liam Trotter was perhaps lucky to escape with only a yellow card when he caught fellow former Northgate High School pupil Luke Hyam with a very high boot. Leadbitter scuffed the freekick through to Forde.

Morison headed over from a Hackett corner in the 74th minute but the home side were rarely threatening with Town not committing too many men forward but still creating the odd half-chance, Hyam shooting wide from just outside the area on one such occasion.

Trotter scraped over on 77, then five minutes later Tamika Mkandawire went well wide with the home side huffing and puffing but failing to show much quality in and around the area with Gareth McAuley his usual immense presence in the air. With five minutes remaining Wickham was booked for a late kick on Dunne.

The Blues were by now sitting back on their lead, allowing the Lions to come at them and looking to catch the home side on the break via Wickham.

Millwall continued to push but without ever really looking like getting the equaliser which would have taken the game into extra time and after four minutes of injury time Andy D’Urso blew his whistle giving the Blues a deserved victory.

There were fine displays throughout the Town side with McAuley once again a colossus at the back, but Roy Keane will probably be most pleased with the midfield performances of Luke Hyam and Jaime Peters, while Tom Eastman was a calm and assured presence at right-back despite a hostile crowd.

In the first half Andros Townsend was practically unplayable, while Tamás Priskin led the line well, scoring with a deft header. Gareth McAuley used his strength to net what turned out to be the game's clincher. Damien Delaney will be disappointed with the Millwall goal, but the slip was probably down to his long spell on the sidelines more than anything else.

Town boss Roy Keane will be hoping for a home draw when the balls are pulled out of the bag on Saturday lunchtime, the Blues having had five successive away ties in the Carling Cup and eight in a row in both cup competitions.

Town: Murphy, Eastman, McAuley, Delaney, Kennedy, Hyam, Peters, Healy (Scotland 53), Townsend (Leadbitter 53), Priskin (Wickham 64), Lambe. Unused: Fülöp, Norris, Brown, Murray. Att: 5,070 (Town: 799).


Photo: Action Images



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.


You need to login in order to post your comments

Ipswich Town Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2024