Fortune doesn’t favour Millwall as Swansea draw leaves them with major challenge to get back into Championship play-off mix

MILLWALL 1
Bennett 21
SWANSEA CITY 1
Bialkowski og 66
BY ALEX GRACE AT THE DEN

It seems like there is someone that just doesn’t want Millwall to reach the top six this season.

It seems every time the Lions have the chance to put the pressure on those above them they just can’t seem to manage it.

Misfortune struck again at The Den on Tuesday night as Swansea City had luck on their side for their equaliser and a share of the spoils – a result that leaves both sides in limbo in pursuit of a Championship play-off place.

As was the case at Oakwell, Millwall’s finishing let them down. Tom Bradshaw, in particular, will feel he should have got on the scoresheet with chances in either half and had it not been for some brilliant defending he surely would have done.

He will also feel aggrieved that he didn’t get the rub of the green. Ben Wilmot appeared to have brought him down when he was through on goal, but nothing was given. Matt Smith and Murray Wallace could have added their names to the scoresheet, with the latter hitting the post.

Mason Bennett opened his Millwall account with a fine finish. Unfortunately for the on-loan Derby man he suffered a knock which forced him off at the interval and he is a doubt for tonight’s clash at The Valley.

Before the game there was a minute’s silence to remember Theo Foley, who served as George Graham’s assistant manager at Millwall until the pair both moved to Arsenal in 1986.  Millwall wore T-shirts honouring their ex-defender Christian Mbulu, who died on May 26, during their warm up.

Mahlon Romeo went on a trademark run down the right, charged into the box but saw his effort go just wide of the near post. His last Millwall goal came against Sheffield United in December 2017.

Murray Wallace would have been disappointed not to trouble Freddie Woodman with a header from a Jed Wallace free-kick after 19 minutes.

All that was forgotten just two minutes later as Millwall took the lead in a really good move started and finished by Bennett. He picked the ball up from a Mahlon Romeo tackle, released Jed Wallace into the box and then timed his run to perfection to smash home the winger’s pull back.

Seven minutes later Swansea almost got themselves level. Rhian Brewster’s shot looked to be heading into the far corner but Jake Cooper got back quickly to clear the ball away for a corner.

The Lions were dealt a blow when Bennett could not continue as his replacement Connor Mahoney was unable to offer the same threat.

Bartosz Bialkowski was called into action just after the break to deny former Charlton loanee Conor Gallagher. Tom Bradshaw was denied a certain goal thanks to Andre Ayew’s last-minute challenge.

Millwall’s lack of cutting edge in the final third came back to bite them again in the 66th minute. Rhian Brewster’s free-kick bounced down off the bar, deflected off the back of Bialkowski’s head and over the line.

Lions manager Gary Rowett was left frustrated with the officiating as Bradshaw, through on goal, looked to have pulled down by Ben Wilmot – only for referee James Linington to remain unmoved by the protests.

Murray Wallace has yet to score in the Championship this season and passed up two glorious opportunities to break his league duck, both from corners by his namesake Jed.

It’s clear that if Millwall are to challenge for the top six again next season there will need to be further depth and quality added to the squad.

Millwall rank amongst the lowest in the league for goals scored and chances created from open play. It’s something Rowett will want to change as Millwall’s style of play adapts from the Neil Harris era.

Results elsewhere on Tuesday mean that Millwall remain in the race with six games to go but anymore slip-ups will surely mean the end.If they win at The Valley tonight they will once again put pressure on the teams above them.

Millwall (5-2-3): Bialkowski 6, Romeo 7, Hutchinson 5, Cooper 7, M Wallace 6, Ferguson 6, Williams 6, Woods 6, Bennett 7 (Mahoney 46, 5), Bradshaw 6 (Smith 85),
J Wallace 7. Not used: Steele, Pearce, Mitchell, Molumby, Thompson, Skalak, Leonard.