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Town 2-0 Millwall
Town 2-0 Millwall
Saturday, 30th Oct 2010 17:05

Jason Scotland’s fifth goal in six home league games and a Grant Leadbitter penalty saw the Blues to a 2-0 victory over Millwall at Portman Road. Scotland struck only Town’s second first half league goal of the season, then Leadbitter sealed it after the break from the spot, Danny Shittu having fouled Tamás Priskin.

Town boss Roy Keane recalled Márton Fülöp in goal and stuck with the back four of Tom Eastman, Gareth McAuley, Damien Delaney and Tommy Smith.

Keane decided to go with the four-man midfield which helped the Blues beat the Lions in the Carling Cup earlier in the season and Northampton in midweek, with skipper David Norris and Grant Leadbitter in the centre, Carlos Edwards on the right and Jack Colback on the left.

Up front, Jason Scotland lined-up behind Tamás Priskin with Connor Wickham on the bench after his quicker than expected return from injury. Mark Kennedy, also back from injury, was left out of the 18. Millwall included ex-Town pair Liam Trotter and Scott Barron, but Kevin Lisbie was unavailable under the terms of his loan.

In the game’s opening minute Priskin was played in on the left of the area by striker partner Scotland but could only stab the ball into the sidenetting.

The Blues went ahead in only the fifth minute. Priskin held the ball up on the right before laying it back to Carlos Edwards, who sent in a cross which Millwall defender Paul Robinson completely missed. Jason Scotland seized on the opportunity, taking a touch before slamming the ball past David Forde and into the net for his fifth goal of the season, all in his six home league games.

It was a rare quick start by the Blues and only their second goal in a first half in the league this season.

On nine Millwall caused the first danger in the Blues penalty area, Alan Dunne crossing from the right and the ball going beyond Theo Robinson before being put out of play by a combination of McAuley and Delaney.

James Henry hit a 20th minute shot which failed to test Fülöp with the visitors increasingly having more of the game than the Blues as the half reached its midway point. On 22 Colback was forced to head Paul Robinson’s header from the six-yard box after Fülöp had got little distance on a punch after a corner.

A minute later Eastman blocked from Theo Robinson after the striker had diverted former Blue Scott Barron’s cross goalwards after a swift break down the Millwall left.

Despite the Lions having the better of it at this stage, Town were still getting a lot of freekicks midway inside the Millwall half, as they had at the Den in the Carling Cup, but Grant Leadbitter had so far been unable to find a Blue head.


The Town midfielder was the subject of a Lions’ penalty appeal in the 29th minute when the ball bounced up off his foot and struck his hand. Some referees might have given it but Kevin Friend, not an official who has traditionally been generous to Town, wasn’t one of them.

Damien Delaney should have scored his second goal in a week in the 39th minute when Leadbitter found him in an unmarked position from a corner from the right, but the Irish centre-half headed well wide from six yards.

Leadbitter almost added to the Blues’ lead a minute later from a neatly worked freekick. After Danny Shittu had fouled Priskin five yards to the right of the penalty area, Colback squared the ball to his former Sunderland team-mate, who lashed a shot goalwards from eight yards which Dunne diverted over.

From Colback’s corner on the left, Tommy Smith powered a header, which James Henry blocked on the line. A yard to the former Reading man’s left and Town would have increased their lead. Just before the break, Lions skipper Paul Robinson headed over from a Jimmy Abdou cross from the left.

The Blues had started the game strongly but after Jason Scotland scored his now obligatory home goal, Roy Keane’s side had rather lost their way. Millwall had enjoyed the better of the possession with Town defending in depth and unable to keep the ball. However, in the half’s closing stages Delaney, Leadbitter and Smith were all close to increasing the home side’s lead.

Danny Schofield hit the second period’s first shot from 25 yards in the opening minute but failed to test Fülöp.

On 47 the Blues ought to have been two in front. Scotland set Edwards breaking away down the Town right after a Millwall corner. The Trinidadian took the ball on and sent a low pass across to Colback who, despite being pulled back by Henry, was through one-on-one with keeper Forde but slipped the ball wide of the post.

In the 54th minute Millwall subbed Theo Robinson and Jimmy Abdou for Darren Carter and John Marquis with the Blues having started the half stronger than they had finished the first.

A minute later Town went further in front from the penalty spot. Priskin cut inside Shittu on the right of the area and the Nigerian international defender hauled him to the ground. Referee Kevin Friend had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Leadbitter slammed a low shot past Forde into the net off the inside of the post.

Soon after, Scotland might have done better when latching on to a Norris pass but his shot was blocked by Forde, then the Lions keeper stopped Leadbitter’s strike from distance.

McAuley blocked from Millwall sub Marquis on 69 with the Blues repelling everything that the visitors were throwing at them. With the Lions looking vulnerable on the break, Connor Wickham and then Ronan Murray came on for Priskin and Scotland, both receiving rapturous receptions from the home support.

Delaney again went close to his second ever Town goal in the 74th minute, looping a header from an Edwards long throw on the right off the top of the bar.

Jake Livermore replaced David Norris for the last nine minutes, the Blues skipper having received treatment for a knock moments earlier.

Town had been comfortable since the second goal but as the game moved into the final minutes, Smith cleared off the line from Henry after Eastman had taken the pace off the ball with Fülöp beaten, then moments later McAuley deftly flicked from the line again, this time from Marquis. Moments later, Henry forced Fülöp into a save with a shot from the right of the area.

Alan Dunne picked up the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Wickham on 88, Leadbitter slamming the 30-yard freekick wide.

Wickham forced Forde into a sharp save to his right from the edge of the area after good work from the again impressive Ronan Murray as the game moved into injury time.

In the final moments Jake Livermore should have made it three but missed an open goal. Wickham’s initial shot was saved by Forde, Murray getting to the rebound and the ball falling to Livermore. The on-loan Spurs man’s first effort was deflected on to the post, the ball bounced back to him with Forde grounded but he scooped his first-time effort over the bar from six yards.

A third goal might have been harsh on Millwall, who had probably been the better side in the first half, but overall Town deserved the win. It was the type of game which could have ended 6-0 to the Blues, in a narrow Blues victory, a draw or even in a Lions win, had their first half display yielded goals.

But once Grant Leadbitter had netted Town’s second there was really only going to be one winner with Kenny Jackett’s men unable to threaten an excellent Blues backline for most of the second half with Gareth McAuley once again outstanding.

Up front, Tamás Priskin continued his resurgence, having a part to play in both goals, while Jason Scotland will be pleased to stay on the goals trail.

The victory over Millwall takes the Blues to 11th but only a point behind Reading in the final play-off place.

Town: Fülöp, Eastman, Smith, McAuley, Delaney, Leadbitter, Norris (Livermore 81), Edwards, Colback, Scotland (Murray 71), Priskin (Wickham 66). Unused: Murphy, Peters, Townsend, Brown.

Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Barron, P Robinson, Shittu, Schofield, Trotter, Abdou (Carter 54), Henry, Morison, T Robinson (Marquis 54). Unused: Mildenhall, Hackett, Craig, Ward, Laird. Ref: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire). Att: 19,020 (Millwall: 1,262).


Photo: Action Images



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