Millwall vs Blackburn Rovers; Sky Bet Championship
Millwall vs Blackburn Rovers. Sky Bet Championship.
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Millwall 1-0 Blackburn Rovers: Mihailo Ivanovic scores last-ditch winner for managerless Lions
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Millwall and Blackburn Rovers at The Den on Saturday; Managerless Lions bring end to winning run for John Eustace's Rovers as Mihailo Ivanovic scores last-ditch winner.
Saturday 21 December 2024 18:36, UK
Mihailo Ivanovic headed in a stoppage-time winner for Millwall as they recorded a much-needed 1-0 victory over Championship high-flyers Blackburn.
Under the caretaker charge of David Livermore, this was the Lions' first win in seven games and ended a run of three matches without scoring under former manager Neil Harris.
Blackburn had come to the Den off the back of six straight victories that had catapulted them into the play-off places and had not conceded in five games, but returned to Lancashire empty-handed after a disappointing display.
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While the opening stages lacked quality, Millwall's brighter moments were coming whenever Aidomo Emakhu got on the ball down the left wing, as the 21-year-old gave Joe Rankin-Costello a tough start to the afternoon.
However, it took 23 minutes for either side to have an actual sight at goal as Blackburn defender Dominic Hyam's header deflected wide off team-mate Yuki Ohashi from Todd Cantwell's corner.
The Lions' first real opening came in the 34th minute when George Saville's effort was pushed away by Aynsley Pears before Macaulay Langstaff put the follow-up into the side netting from a tricky angle.
That began a good spell from the hosts as Pears was called into action again to keep out Femi Azeez's shot before Rankin-Costello had to clear Japhet Tanganga's slightly scuffed rebound.
It did not bring a breakthrough, however, as the two teams went into half-time still deadlocked.
That looked set to change eight minutes into the second half when Blackburn winger Amario Cozier-Duberry looked to have a clear run from his own half into the Millwall area, but Azeez chased back to make a brilliant last-ditch challenge.
Blackburn substitute Ryan Hedges was straight into the action as he played a good ball across for Andreas Wiemann, who planted his effort straight at Lukas Jensen - his first save of the match - in the 77th minute.
Having used up their three substitution windows, Rovers were made to finish with 10 players after captain Lewis Travis limped off with six minutes left.
Millwall pressed to take advantage in the time that was left, with Langstaff heading Joe Bryan's cross over and Pears making a good save to keep out Saville's powerful effort.
But in the sixth minute of stoppage time, the Lions finally found a route to goal as substitute Ivanovic headed in Ryan Leonard's cross to break Blackburn's run of over nine hours without conceding.
The managers
Millwall's caretaker David Livermore:
"Firstly, I'm delighted with the win.
"There's nothing better than scoring a 90-plus-whatever-it-was winner at the death at home in front of our own supporters, so I'm really delighted with the result for the lads and for the staff.
"We've got really, really good people in that dressing room who have been really supportive this week, the experienced players and the young ones.
"Everyone in the dressing room has really stepped up.
"I just think my strength is in supporting others, that's where I feel I have the most value.
"I was Neil's assistant for 10 years, I actually managed when I was 30 for two years in the National League and it was a baptism of fire, but it was a good grounding for me.
"I'd never say never, sometimes you get to a crossroad in your career where you might have to take that leap, but I just don't feel like that's now."
Blackburn's John Eustace:
"I thought it was a really difficult afternoon for both teams, I thought conditions were very tough, but the way the boys battled today was very pleasing.
"It's something that we do week in, week out and obviously it's disappointing to concede in the last minute.
"Obviously, it was a big blow to lose Travis with 10-15 minutes to go, but again I still felt comfortable, I didn't feel like they were going to score.
"There was a lot of pressure, they put more big players on, which is what happens when you come here.
"I thought the way the boys defended overall was excellent and to concede in the last minute was disappointing.
"We also played some good football today - the conditions really hampered that, but we still had two or three really good chances.
"It looks like his (Travis) hamstring, we'll have to look at that, he'll get a scan tomorrow."