Burton Albion vs Millwall. Sky Bet Championship.
Pirelli StadiumAttendance4,105.
Saturday 24 February 2018 18:30, UK
Ben Marshall's first goal for Millwall secured a fourth successive away win for Neil Harris' men as a 1-0 home defeat plunged Burton into more trouble at the foot of the Sky Bet Championship.
The on-loan Wolves winger got onto the end of Jed Wallace's 61st-minute cross to send the ball back across goal before watching it nestle in the back of the net.
Albion, however, had undoubtedly edged the first half in terms of goal-scoring chances. Darren Bent had two good chances to open his Burton account after joining on loan in January.
The former Aston Villa striker was able to run straight through the Millwall defence and collect a booming clearance from Burton keeper Stephen Bywater, but he delayed his shot a moment too long and allowed Jake Cooper to get back and make a vital challenge.
In the 39th minute a second opportunity came Bent's way - a superb through ball by Jacob Davenport setting him up for a shot on his left foot which he skewed well wide from the edge of the penalty area.
Substitute Damien McCrory - on for skipper John Brayford, who succumbed to a niggling calf problem after just a quarter of an hour - sent in a delightful curling centre for Hope Akpan to head wide as Burton cranked up the pressure
As half-time drew nearer, Cooper was again in the right spot to deny Bent as he looked to get on the end of Lloyd Dyer's cross.
Millwall struggled to carve open Albion in the first half, Kyle McFadzean making a couple of important interceptions to protect his keeper.
Bywater was grateful to eventually drop on a loose ball at the back post after Cooper's header from a corner had prompted an almighty scramble just yards from goal.
Cooper was again the man causing problems early in the second half with a towering back-post header that Bywater parried before watching on as his defence scrambled it clear.
Substitute Fred Onyedinma almost added a second on 73 minutes, with Bywater at full stretch as he watched a curling effort sail past his left-hand post.
Albion spurned an excellent chance to equalise on 78 minutes when Tom Naylor found space at the back post to attack a corner kick, but he could not keep his header down as the goal opened up for him.
Nigel Clough: "It's another defeat but I'm not quite sure how it was. Over the course of the game and with the chances we created and the manner of the winning goal it's a very poor result but in terms of the performance there was nothing wrong with that apart from a goal.
"Players are human and they miss chances. We had enough chances at Ipswich, here against Forest and today to win all three games."
Neil Harris: "Millwall are going like a steam train at the minute. We have no fear of the division anymore. Four in a row away from home and anyone that has seen us all season, we could easily have double that on the road.
"That was probably our worst performance on the road this year, barring Norwich. I certainly felt that Burton should have took something out of the game but I thought we should have comfortably won the home game against Burton so it's probably swings and roundabouts. I have to give the credit to my players for finding another way of winning a game. I couldn't be happier at the moment."
