Player ratings for AFC Wimbledon 0 Millwall 1 – Lee Gregory the standout performer for Lions with Will Nightingale solid for the Dons

BY MAX HALL

Millwall progressed to the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday – but who stood out in the derby scrap?

AFC WIMBLEDON RATINGS

Aaron Ramsdale
Could do little about the goal and supplied a sprawling stop from Aiden O’Brien and a great smothering save to deny Jed Wallace to keep his side in it until the finish. 8/10

Deji Oshilaja
Repeatedly surrendered possession with stray passes – short and long – in the first half but more influential as Wimbledon pressed after the break. Headed a good chance over. 5

Will Nightingale
Solid at the heart of defence, particularly when denying Tom Elliott from a dangerous cross in the 75th minute but had been badly exposed by Lee Gregory 10 minutes after the break. 7

Rod McDonald
Not a creative presence and put in a mixed performance. Tenacious in defence, as shown when he tracked back brilliantly to deny Gregory in the 34th minute. 6

Toby Sibbick
Energetic, hardworking performance and hung in at least three inviting crosses in a game when Wimbledon had few clear-cut chances but more than once killed momentum as the Dons tried to press late on, by selecting the wrong option. A bad mistake in the 77th minute gave the ball to Gregory in the area. 6

Shane McLoughlin
Supplied useful deliveries through the middle and from the flank, he could have had an assist within the opening two minutes. Ready to track back but faded at times. Could be just what Wimbledon need next season, whichever division they are in. 7

Anthony Hartigan
Mostly lost in Wimbledon’s five-man midfield but did supply a lovely raking Hollywood pass to Sibbick just before half time. 6

Anthony Wordsworth
Another player who failed to catch the eye in midfield. Supplied a particularly awful giveaway corner in the 51st minute. Replaced by Dylan Connolly in the 62nd minute. 5

Tyler Garratt
Drafted in with Birmingham’s Steve Seddon cup tied and was not as influential down the left as Sibbick on the opposite flank. Replaced by Andy Barcham at half time. 5

Michael Folivi
Started brightly and showed his Premier League nous by sniffing out gaps between the Millwall lines although he faded as each half wore on. A performance from the on-loan striker that augurs well for the remaining league fixtures. 7

Joe Pigott
Should he have done better with that early shot against the post? Initially looked hopelessly out of his depth against Jake Cooper and Alex Pearce but eventually started to make the former a little uncomfortable. Replaced by Mitch Pinnock in the 62nd minute. 6

Andy Barcham
Half-time sub was asked to work hard down the left, setting as a left-wing back but barrelling forward on the shoulder of the last man at every opportunity. Might have won a penalty had he stayed onside and made a brilliant goal-saving tackle on Gregory in the 77th minute. Starting to recapture his impressive pre-injury form. 7

Mitch Pinnock
Brought on with Connolly in the 62nd minute as part of double change that fired up the hosts. Pinpoint left-foot crosss was his first contribution and made an excellent recovery tackle on Jed Wallace deep into added time. 7

Dylan Connolly
Supplied pace down the right in late Dons barrage but couldn’t find a way past Murray Wallace and finished wildly from a difficult chance three minutes from time. 6

MILLWALL RATINGS

Jordan Archer
Dominant on crosses whether gathering or punching but, although he improved, his first half distribution was awful. 6

Mahlon Romeo
Supplied an inviting cross in the first half and a fabulous tackle to dispossess a charging Pigott but clumsy challenge on Barcham in the 70th minute would have been a penalty if the offside flag had not gone up. 6

Alex Pearce
Dominant performance in the air as Wimbledon tried to find target man Pigott. 7

Jake Cooper
Outshone by his central defensive partner but, by and large, dealt with Pigott and held firm as Wimbledon tried to find a way through or around the pair in the second half. 7

Murray Wallace
Once again the FA Cup hero, Wallace gave Ramsdale absolutely no chance with his thumping header. Defended well and ready to counter in the second half but blotted copy book with clumsy foul on Barcham. 7

Jed Wallace
Combined well with Gregory in one slick first-half move and readiness to break into the Wimbledon area as the hosts pushed on saw him denied by Ramsdale and Pinnock late on and ensured the Dons could never throw everyone forward. 7

Ryan Leonard
Dug out the perfect cross for the decisive goal and put in a hardworking display to link the crossfield passing moves after Millwall settled down from their long ball opening spell. Him and Shaun Williams were slow to close down Folivi midway through the first half as the Watford man shot wide. 7

Shaun Williams
Mirrored his team’s performance by showing enough to keep the underdogs at bay without ever dominating in Millwall’s engine room. 6

Shane Ferguson
Supplied a lovely inviting cross from his left flank in the 13th minute but counterbalanced that after the break with an awful free-kick from the opposite side and then by conceding a throw after trying to play football deep in his own half – two deadly sins in the Neil Harris playbook. 6

Aiden O’Brien
Went down far too easily under a challenge from Nightingale in the area early on. Usually suffers by comparison with his strike partner, as seen in the second half when Gregory left Nightingale for dead and rolled the ball across only for the Irish international to finish weakly, allowing Ramsdale to save. Replaced by Tom Elliott in the 64th minute. 6

Lee Gregory: The standout player on the day. Oozed class despite meagre service at times, whether chasing lost causes or supplying assists such as the lay-off for O’Brien or a perfect cushioned header 10 minutes from time. 8

Tom Elliott
Did just what his manager wanted after replacing O’Brien by making life uncomfortable for his former teammates, particularly Nightingale, on the ground and in the air. 7

Also used: Shaun Hutchinson, for Gregory, 94 minutes.

RATINGS BY MAX HALL

Photographs by Keith Gillard