Town lead Millwall 2-1 at the Den at the break, full debutant Noel Hunt having netted twice before Magaye Guyeye pulled a goal back just before the break for the Lions.
Town were without David McGoldrick and Luke Hyam with knee injuries sustained in the 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Southampton, and Cole Skuse, who is ill.
Up front, Noel Hunt was handed his first start alongside Daryl Murphy with new signing Freddie Sears one of only six subs on the bench. Balint Bajner was missing with Notts County understood to be close to signing the Hungarian striker on loan.
Millwall made eight changes to the team which lost 4-0 at Bradford in the FA Cup in midweek. Former Blue Dan Harding made his home debut, while ex-midfielder Lee Martin and one-time loan striker Ricardo Fuller were on the bench.
Anderson hit an early speculative shot wide for the Blues, who were in their all orange away kit.
The Lions went close to going in front in the fourth minute when debutant Diego Fabbrini’s shot deflected up into the air and Town keeper Bartosz Bialkowski punched poorly under pressure from Stefan Maierhofer. The loose ball fell to the on-loan Watford man, who shot wide with the goal gaping.
Within a minute the Lions were made to rue that miss. Murphy flicked on a Tyrone Mings freekick deep on the left and Stephen Hunt found himself space on the edge of the box before stabbing the ball through to his brother Noel ahead of him to his left. The former Leeds man deftly diverted the ball past advancing Millwall keeper David Forde and into the net.
It was the Irishman’s second goal for Town and his first since signing a contract until the end the season earlier in the month.
On the quarter hour, it was 2-0 with Noel Hunt again the man on target. Stephen Hunt crossed from the left just too far in front of his brother. Bru shot from a tight angle, a defender’s toe deflecting it to Noel Hunt, who tapped in his second of the game and third of the season at the other post before a knee-slide celebration. The home fans felt there may have been a suspicion of offside.
The last time Noel Hunt scored twice in a game was back in January 2013 for Reading in 4-0 FA Cup win against Sheffield United, while he most recently netted a brace in the league back in August 2009 for the Royals in a 3-1 win at Barnsley.
The Blues continued to look the more likely scorers, Anderson saw an audacious overhead-kick deflected over on 23, then after the second of two corners had been cleared and returned into the box Murphy headed straight at his international team-mate Forde.
Moments later, Noel Hunt wasn’t far from getting his head to an Anderson header from a left-wing Mings cross.
Millwall were unable to create another serious opportunity until the 35th minute when Maierhofer cut the ball back from the right to Jimmy Abdou on the edge of the box but the midfielder scuffed well wide.
But the Blues were continuing to look the greater threat, Anderson seeing an effort blocked and then screwing his cross into the crowd from the rebound.
Seconds later, Murphy held off Millwall centre-half Byron Webster as he broke into the area but scuffed his shot wide.
Two minutes before the break, the home side pulled a goal back. Maierhofer headed down a freekick from the left, Gregory touched it to Magaye Gueye, who shot home off the inside of the post.
It was a poor goal to concede from Town’s perspective with Christophe Berra perhaps still feeling the effects of a clash of heads with Abdou moments earlier.
The goal roused the previously resigned home crowd as the half moved into three additional minutes.
Town were well worth their lead at the break and given the number of chances they had created they ought to have been further in front.
Millwall’s goal before the break had come against the overall run of play and gave the home side a lifeline which they didn’t really deserve.
Millwall: Forde, Cummings, Nelson, Webster, Harding, Gueye, Abdou, Powell, Fabbrini, Gregory, Maierhofer. Subs: King, Shittu, Wilkinson, Martin, Woolford, McDonald, Fuller.
Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Mings, Berra, Smith, Tabb, Bru, Anderson, S Hunt, N Hunt, Murphy. Subs: Crowe, Parr, Clarke, Ambrose, Sears, Stewart. Referee: Graham Salisbury (Lancashire).