Lee Gregory’s 26th minute goal has given Millwall a deserved lead over the Blues at half-time at the Den.
Andre Dozzell, Grant Ward and Trevoh Chalobah came back into the team for caretaker-manager Bryan Klug’s one game back in charge in a 3-5-2 system with new boss Paul Lambert keeping a watching brief from the stands.
Ward returned to the right wing-back role he occupied in the first two games of Klug’s stint as caretaker-boss last season, having previously played there during the academy head of coaching and development’s time working at Spurs.
Chalobah lined up on the right of the centre of the defence with Matt Pennington on the left and skipper Luke Chambers in the centre with Jonas Knudsen the left wing-back.
In midfield, Dozzell joined Cole Skuse and Flynn Downes while Freddie Sears and Kayden Jackson were up front.
For Millwall, skipper Shaun Hutchinson returned from two months out for James Meredith, who dropped to sub, while Jiri Skalak came in for the injured Jed Wallace. Ex-Blues loanee Ryan Tunnicliffe was on the bench.
After a rather confused minute’s silence with the game Millwall’s Remembrance Day fixture, the Lions started the more positively and went close on six when Hutchinson nodded over from a corner having been given a free header after Knudsen had slipped.
Following a lengthy stoppage for an injury to Gregory the Blues, wearing their all orange away strip, began to make an impression in the Millwall half, Downes turning his man on the right but his cross deflected behind the Town players in the area.
On 15 Knudsen whipped over a low ball from the left which was cleared just ahead of Sears at the near post.
But Millwall continued to see most of the ball, although without seriously threatening. On 22 they claimed a penalty when Shaun Williams went to ground as he exchanged passes with Gregory in the area but referee Robert Jones wasn’t interested.
A minute later, Ryan Leonard chested down a loose ball and shot not too far wide and in the 27th minute the Lions went in front.
Jake Cooper nodded Williams's corner from the right back into the six-yard box from the far post and Gregory turned home from four feet. Town claimed a foul - probably a push on Cole Skuse as the ball came back in - but referee Jones wasn’t interested.
Set-piece goals have been Town’s Achilles’ heel all season and in the 31st minute they almost conceded another. Hutchinson knocked Shane Ferguson's freekick from the left back across goal and Cooper was just unable to add the final touch at the post.
Aside from the two crosses around the 15-minute mark the Blues had been largely been pressed back in their half with Millwall well in control.
The home side again went close to their second of the game from another set piece in the 39th minute. Ferguson’s freekick whipped in from the right and Elliott’s header rather fortuitously flew straight to Bartosz Bialkowski.
Dozzell had seen little of the ball but on 42 he was twice involved in a move which saw Ward break down the right and cross but far too deeply.
As the half moved into two minutes of injury time Pennington nodded a ball over the top back to the advancing Bialkowski.
The Lions were well worth their lead at the break having been much the better side with the Blues fortunate that they had conceded only the one set-piece goal.
Millwall had been in charge from virtually the start with Town struggling to keep possession and only fleetingly able to get Dozzell on the ball.
Millwall keeper Ben Amos will rarely have had a quieter 45 minutes with the Blues not registering a shot on or off target. If he hadn’t already, new manager Lambert will have a better idea of what his new job will entail.
Millwall: Amos, Hutchinson (c), Cooper, Williams, Gregory, Ferguson, Romeo, Elliott, M Wallace, Skalak, Leonard. Subs: Archer, McLaughlin, Meredith, Bradshaw, Tunnicliffe, Morison, O’Brien.
Town: Bialkowski, Ward, Pennington, Chambers (c), Chalobah, Knudsen, Skuse, Downes, Dozzell, Sears, Jackson. Subs: Gerken, Edwards, Nolan, Spence, Rowe, Nsiala, Lankester. Referee: Robert Jones (Merseyside).