Jack Clarke’s 14th goal of the season has given the Blues a 1-0 half-time lead over fellow promotion challengers Millwall at Portman Road.

Town made two changes from the team which won 2-0 at Sheffield Wednesday last Saturday with Kasey McAteer and Ivan Azon coming back into the XI.

McAteer, starting for the first time since the 0-0 draw with the Lions at the Den on Boxing Day, came in for Sindre Walle Egeli on the right, while Azon was the number nine with George Hirst dropping to the bench alongside the Norwegian.

Marcelino Nunez, who manager Kieran McKenna said on Friday was “touch and go” to be involved following his hamstring injury, wasn’t included in the 20-man squad.

Wes Burns missed out with the calf injury sustained at Hillsborough, along with the suspended Leif Davis and Cedric Kipre.

Jaden Philogene was again among the subs, as was U21s left-back Somto Boniface, on the bench for the first time in the Championship this season, having been included for the FA Cup tie at Wrexham and for five Premier League games during 2024/25.

Millwall also made two changes with Caleb Taylor and Luke Cundle returning to the side for Danny McNamara and Barry Bannan, who both dropped to the bench.

January Blues target Femi Azeez started, as did Zak Sturge, last week’s red card against Blackburn having been overturned on appeal.

Town threatened for the first time in the third minute, Clarke riding tackles before feeding Ben Johnson inside the area to his left but the full-back’s cross failed to find a teammate.

Two minutes later, the Blues kept the ball well around the Millwall box before Clarke eventually played back to Dan Neil just outside the box, the on-loan Sunderland midfielder’s shot flying just the wrong side of Lions’ keeper Anthony Patterson’s left post.

The visitors were next to attack, Camiel Neghli hitting a cross-shot from the left on six, which Christian Walton batted behind for a corner at his near post.

On nine, a deep free-kick from the left reached Darnell Furlong beyond the far post from where the right-back nodded it back into the six-yard box but Millwall skipper Jake Cooper was able to hook clear with no Town player having read to knock down.

In the 13th minute, Millwall’s Macaulay Langstaff was spoken to by referee Michael Salisbury after a clash with Dara O’Shea after the ball had gone out for a Town throw and the former Notts County forward appeared to have stepped on the grounded Blues skipper.

Three minutes later, Josh Coburn was booked for catching Jacob Greaves in the face with an arm, although it looked harsh on the Millwall attacker.

Coburn briefly found himself breaking towards goal in the 17th minute but O’Shea got across to block his shot.

However, it was still mainly Town and a minute later O’Shea sent Clarke away in space on the left, the ex-Sunderland forward exchanging passes with Mehmeti on the left of the area before being crowded out.

The Millwall goal was beginning to live a charmed life and on 19 only a superb save from Patterson prevented the Blues from going in front.

Town had already had a couple of bites at the cherry before the ball was swept wide to McAteer, whose cross was cleared to Neil. His shot was blocked by Taylor and the ball fell to Azon, whose hooked effort towards the roof of the net was somehow palmed over by the Lions keeper, the Spaniard once again bringing the best out of an opposition keeper.

From the resultant corner, Town threatened again, Greaves heading towards goal at the back post and Patterson punching uncomfortably away.

Tristan Crama shot well wide for the visitors on 23, then four minutes later Azeez lofted an effort deep into the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.

On 29, O’Shea diverted a low near-post corner from the right into the air and Azon hit a shot against the Irishman and wide.

Just before the half-hour, Azon battled for the ball on the left, won it and took it on into the area, his cross-shot catching two players before going behind for a corner.

In the 37th minute, Furlong dived low to head a low near-post corner from the right towards goal, a defender getting in the way, the Blues having looked to either the front post or beyond the back with their flag-kicks, presumably to circumvent Millwall’s greater height in the box.

The half had been virtually all Town, more dominant than against anyone else in a first period at Portman Road this season and in the 41st minute they finally got their reward.

Clarke tried to bring the ball in from the left but it was stabbed away from him. However, the Blues’ top scorer tackled back and it fell to Matusiwa, who returned it to Clarke, the forward bringing it inside before hitting a powerful low strike which beat Patterson inside his right post, the keeper probably having been unsighted.

The Town number 47’s 14th goal of the season was greeted by a huge roar around Portman Road as he celebrated in the corner.

There were no other chances after the goal and following one minute of additional time, the Blues were cheered off by their fans at the whistle after a hugely impressive 45 minutes.

Town, who had been disappointing in their previous three first halves, dominated from the start with a goal the only thing missing until Clarke’s late strike.

At the other end, aside from Walton’s save from Neghli early on and a couple of shots from distance which failed to find the target, Millwall had shown little.

The Blues will hope to maintain a similar level in the second half and ideally grab another goal to confirm an important victory.

Town: Walton, Furlong, O’Shea (c), Greaves, Johnson, Matusiwa, Neil, McAteer, Mehmeti, Clarke, Azon. Subs: Palmer, Baggott, Boniface, Taylor, Cajuste, Walle Egeli, Philogene, Akpom, Hirst.

Millwall: Patterson, Sturge, Crama, Cooper (c), Taylor, Mitchell, Neghli, Azeez, Langstaff, Coburn, Cundle. Subs: Crocombe, McNamara, Ballo, Ivanovic, Watson, Bryan, Lamptey, Mazou-Sacko, Bannan. Referee: Michael Salisbury (Preston).

Photo: Matchday Images