Derby County vs Millwall. Sky Bet Championship.
Pride Park StadiumAttendance26,272.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash at Pride Park
Saturday 14 December 2019 18:43, UK
Gary Rowett made a winning return to Pride Park as a first-half strike from Tom Bradshaw earned Millwall a 1-0 win over Derby.
Bradshaw produced a quality finish to extend Millwall's unbeaten run to seven matches and send Derby crashing to their first home defeat since late August.
It was another disappointing display from Derby, who created little until the second half when Martyn Waghorn twice went close but Millwall were resolute and deserved to take the points.
Millwall boss Rowett was among a number of ex-Derby players who laid a wreath in the centre circle in memory of former manager Jim Smith, who died on Tuesday.
Rowett took Derby to the play-off semi-finals two seasons ago and he returned to Pride Park in charge of a Millwall side unbeaten in six and they had a great chance to go ahead in the 12th minute.
Derby were caught on the break as Jon Dadi Bodvarsson surged forward and his pass sent Jed Wallace through on the right but he shot tamely at Ben Hamer.
Another quick Millwall raid three minutes later saw Mahlon Romeo whip in a cross which Bradshaw just failed to connect with but they got the goal they deserved in the 25th minute.
Shaun Hutchinson lifted a ball over the top and Bradshaw headed it across Craig Forsyth before driving a shot into the top-left corner of Hamer's net.
Derby looked flat and short of confidence and there was another anxious moment in the 42nd minute when Jed Wallace's shot from outside the area deflected behind off a Millwall player.
Boos greeted the half-time whistle which was no surprise after such a tepid display from Derby but they started the second with more urgency, creating a chance for Waghorn in the 49th minute which he put over from 10 yards.
Derby were moving the ball with more purpose and Millwall were coming under pressure for the first time as Waghorn tested Bartosz Bialkowski with a 25-yard shot before the keeper pushed out a Jayden Bogle cross.
Millwall were forced to drop deeper and Waghorn went close again in the 76th minute when he flashed a shot just wide from a Curtis Davies cross.
Bialkowski showed good reactions when he turned behind a deflected Bogle shot three minutes later but Millwall wasted a good opening when Romeo lost control after breaking into the box in the 84th minute.
Millwall had defended well and although five minutes of stoppage time was played, Derby could not break them down as the Lions repeated last season's victory at Pride Park.
Derby's Phillip Cocu: "It's not only the start, I see the first half and I observe and see one thing, we don't have enough courage to play. In the second half, we do what we want to do and you see a completely different team.
"We had a few opportunities, not a lot because it was difficult with the lack of space, but the struggle we have all season is finding the net and we have to find a way to score goals."
Millwall's Gary Rowett: "It's no more pleasing to win here than anywhere else, probably less pleasing today in some ways because of the tribute to Jim before the game. It's a difficult one because if Derby win it's a great day for Jim and Jim's family and I wouldn't have been displeased but at the same time my job is to come here and try and take the three points and I'm really pleased we did.
"We looked at our away form and trying to turn it round which I felt was key and we looked at the four games we had in Swansea away, Birmingham, Bristol City and Derby we knew they would all be very difficult so to win three of them and to draw one is a massive testament to the players. It wasn't one of our better performances but to come here and limit them to one deflected shot on target is a massive effort from the players."
