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Millwall 1-0 Ipswich Town - Half-Time
Saturday, 27th Oct 2018 16:05

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).


Photo: Action Images



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jas0999 added 16:11 - Oct 27
Not good. Hope we can get something from this because Millwall are fellow strugglers and the task will get even harder with no points.

Yet, the mess PH has left means Lambert has a tough task on his hands. Just hope we aren't too far adrift before much needed new signings are sought in January.
2

TimmyH added 16:15 - Oct 27
2 down...sinking to a new low and as I type not 1 attempt on goal
2

blueboy1981 added 16:16 - Oct 27
....... much to do to get anything from this in the second half.

Goes to show once again just how far we are adrift of being competitive at Championship level - the table doesn't lie, that's where we justifiably deserve to be.
Thanks Paul Hurst - for very, very little.

Step forward Mr Lambert - not for the faint hearted this.
2

blueboy1981 added 16:17 - Oct 27
.......... not a shot, on or off target - EMBARRASSING - against fellow strugglers, don't forget.
1

blueboy1981 added 16:21 - Oct 27
..... probably the most difficult job a Manager has ever been faced with at Portman Road - credit to Lambert for taking it on.
Although for him, it's heads he wins, tails he cannot lose. No brainer for him I guess on a 3 year contract ... !!
-1

blueboy1981 added 16:23 - Oct 27
...... guess who will be having another 'field' day..... ??
-1

Trac70 added 16:24 - Oct 27
Poor yet again!!! Can't defend, can't score (or even muster a shot) Never mind Paul Lambert even Paul Daniels with his "magic" couldn't save us. Good luck PL.
5

blueboy1981 added 16:39 - Oct 27
..... no doubt Lambert is impressed with what he's seeing...... !!!
My bet is he'll start with a plan to completely replace the back four - got to be where the focus starts.
Heads will have to roll - to improve things.
4

Karlosfandangal added 16:43 - Oct 27
Lambert has no chance as the Mick haters will hate Lambert as he was a Norwich manager as the poor man has got a very poor side to work with
0

geminimustang added 16:44 - Oct 27
"blueboy1981 added 16:39 - Oct 27
..... no doubt Lambert is impressed with what he's seeing...... !!!
My bet is he'll start with a plan to completely replace the back four "

You're believing he'll want to keep the other seven?
1

ihatecanaries added 16:45 - Oct 27
Same old same old, we are an embarrassing joke and it doesn't matter who our manager is because we are definitely going down this season, we just don't have the players, we retained the crap that we couldn't sell from last season and the majority of hursts signings are sunday league standard, I don't particularly like Lambert but it won't be his fault when we get relegated, hurst and evans did all the damage in the summer
5

Trac70 added 16:46 - Oct 27
I'm sorry for this outburst but I've been a Town fan for 40years and this is absolutely embarrassing. We're clueless we WILL be relegated. I only feel that Lambert can build for a swift return. Evans is f#ckwit and Hurst bought sh#te. I'm absolutely gutted with the whole situation. Still ITID but sad sad days!!!!
3

martin587 added 16:49 - Oct 27
I cannot believe what I'm watching.Complete new back four required.These ones are terrible.Not a shot on target.I just hope PL is a miracle worker.PH should be sent to the Old Bailey for causing malicious damage,he has ruined this club.
2

blueboy1981 added 16:54 - Oct 27
geminimustang .......... read the rest :- 'got to be where the focus STARTS' ......... !!!

You build from the back, and clean sheets - before you look at the rest. But yes, the other seven have to come into focus next.

Torrid time for the Club - dire straits - and it's not November yet.
2

Swn98 added 16:58 - Oct 27
There were many last year who said it wouldn't matter if we were relegated now it seems it does how strange.
First time i've missed an away Millwall fixture in years just couldn't face another match after last Saturday.
1

bluearmy81 added 17:01 - Oct 27
I cancelled my direct debit last week. Cut the card up. I won't be returning till Evans sells up. He has to take the blame for the complete shambles the club is in. Next season in League 1 will just give him good reason to asset strip even more. What a sad state of affairs.
0

runningout added 17:06 - Oct 27
I'm ill with dispair
0

blueboy1981 added 17:07 - Oct 27
Three points adrift now of the next bottom Club. Yuk !! - sums it all up.

How could we ever be so incompetent ????
0

blueboy1981 added 17:18 - Oct 27
How the hell did we get in this state ?? - one answer:- incompetent ownership, and recruitment over the past ten years.

Step up to the plate Mr Evans - or sell up. But who would be interested ? - we were once a marketable item - but now ??
1

bluearmy81 added 17:29 - Oct 27
Maybe Ed Sheeran could bail us out. At least he's a supporter and his investment would be for the right reasons. We can dream I suppose
0


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