Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Millwall and Burnley at The Den as Tom Bradshaw's fourth goal in two games helped the Lions hold Vincent Kompany's league leaders
Tuesday 21 February 2023 23:26, UK
Substitute Tom Bradshaw's late strike rescued a point for Millwall against Championship leaders Burnley who had to settle for a 1-1 draw at The Den.
Ashley Barnes' poacher's effort in the 51st minute, his second goal in as many games, was looking like it would be the difference on Tuesday evening in south London.
But Bradshaw kept his cool five minutes from time to slot home his 11th goal of the season and give the Lions' play-off push even more credibility.
Following a thrilling 3-2 win over second-place Sheffield United on Saturday, Millwall are now up to fifth, while Burnley are 12 points clear of the Blades.
The visitors controlled possession in the opening stages, probing patiently from side to side, but it was their high-pressing that garnered the first chance.
Scott Twine pounced on a loose touch and gave it quickly to Barnes and then onto Anass Zaroury whose shot deflected off keeper George Long's legs and narrowly wide.
Soon after Barnes had his first sight of goal, volleying off target from Vitinho's cross.
The hosts, meanwhile, were looking a threat from set-pieces and on the counter, with Zian Flemming hitting an ambitious lob from just past halfway over the bar.
Millwall grew into the game as the half wore on, Flemming again trying his luck from distance in the 37th minute and Arijanet Muric did well to save the powerful strike.
Twine too let fly from the edge of the box for Burnley, fizzing his shot past the post.
The 23-year-old's blushes were spared by the offside flag two minutes later, when he turned his first-time effort wide from eight yards out.
But the former Swindon midfielder was the source of the breakthrough six minutes after the break, playing a clever one-two before his shot ricocheted into the path of Barnes who poked home.
Josh Brownhill almost doubled Burnley's advantage 10 minutes later when his half-volley smacked the base of the post.
As Millwall pushed for an equaliser, Andreas Voglsammer had a goal-bound volley blocked but no clear-cut chances presented themselves until the 85th minute.
Bradshaw was lurking around the penalty spot and when the ball broke to him from Flemming's cross, the 30-year-old flashed a fine strike into the bottom corner.
Having allowed Millwall to apply increasing pressure in the closing period, Burnley desperately pushed forwards.
But they failed to trouble Long's goal in seven minutes of stoppage time and went back to Lancashire with a point.
Millwall's Gary Rowett:
"I didn't rest him (Bradshaw). Even I'm not stupid enough to rest a player that scored three goals in the previous game. He was injured. I spoke to him yesterday and his ankle was swollen black and blue. He had a tight hamstring, a tight glute. He said he thought he'll be about 80 per cent and at that point I said I'm not going to risk you. It's not worth it.
"I probably didn't really want to use him. But with the state of the game, we wanted to get something out of it. He takes the goal really well. The keeper doesn't even have a chance to move. It just shows the confidence you get from scoring a hat-trick."
Burnley's Vincent Kompany:
"We discussed this earlier in the season. We are not allowing any emotional rollercoaster. The game's done. We'll have a quick review of the game and then we move on. Until about five minutes before the end, I felt like this was a good game for us.
"I'm convinced that with the quality of the players we have that on another day we'd score more goals, but credit to Millwall. It was tough the whole game, but I can't say I was surprised."
