Millwall can’t match Burnley’s clinical touch as they make EFL Cup exit

Millwall bowed out of the EFL Cup tonight as Burnley showed a clinical touch to win 2-0 at The Den.

The Lions fell behind to a superb Josh Brownhill strike just before the break.

And Matej Vydra made sure of the outcome in second-half stoppage time to roll Chris Wood’s pass beyond Bartosz Bialkowski.

It means the Clarets, bossed by former Millwall centre-back Sean Dyche, will face either Manchester City or AFC Bournemouth in the fourth round.

The Lions lost for the first time this season and found Premier League opposition a tougher nut to crack than Crawley Town and Cheltenham in the previous round.

Troy Parrott made his debut for the hosts after missing the start to the campaign with a quad injury and looked lacking in match sharpness. The on-loan Tottenham striker, who often drifted deeper, was replaced at the interval by Mason Bennett.

Millwall did have chances of their own but failed to test Bailey Peacock-Farrell enough. The Burnley keeper handled confidently all evening.

Matt Smith sent an inviting Shaun Williams cross wide in the 25th minute as the hosts edged the early proceedings.
But Burnley had a good spell to finish the first period and it took a sublime strike from Brownhill to break the deadlock. The midfielder was not closed down with enough urgency but there was no faulting the strike that soared past Bialkowski and into the top right-hand corner of the net.

Millwall laboured more for penetration in the second half but had a big chance in the 88th minute only for Shaun Hutchinson to head Shane Ferguson’s excellent delivery wide of the right post.

Substitute Hayden Muller produced a vital block on Vydra’s shot as the Lions left gaps at the back chasing a leveller.

But the Czech forward made no mistake deep into stoppage time, producing a first-time effort beyond Bialkowski with Wood – a former Lions loanee – claiming the assist.

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD