Plymouth Argyle vs Millwall. Sky Bet Championship.
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Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Plymouth Argyle and Millwall at Home Park on Tuesday night | Zian Flemming and George Saville score in win for Gary Rowett's Lions.
Tuesday 3 October 2023 23:11, UK
Substitute George Saville scored a goal in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage-time as Millwall claimed a 2-0 Championship victory away to Plymouth.
Millwall's 59th-minute opening goal scorer Zian Flemming set up Saville to fire the ball into the roof of the net as Millwall countered after soaking up late Argyle pressure.
The home side took the game to their visitors from the off, with Morgan Whittaker's second-minute shot having to be well saved by diving Bartosz Bialkowski.
Adam Randell nearly profited from the rebound, sending a shot just past the post from 20 yards.
Scottish striker Ryan Hardie created Argyle's next best chance, twisting and turning down the right-hand side of the box before teeing up midfielder Finn Azaz, whose first time shot from the edge of the penalty area flew inches wide after 24 minutes.
The hosts continued to press for the opener and - two minutes later - livewire right back Kaine Kesler-Hayden forced another save from Bialkowski as he finished off a teasing run into the box with a rising drive.
Whittaker created another chance when his incisive pass found fellow playmaker Azaz, who - in turn - teed up Bali Mumba, whose first time shot from the left flew wide.
Still Argyle pressed with top scorer Hardie and Azaz exchanging passes before Hardie let fly from range, again going down the outside of the goal.
Millwall started the second half brighter with Duncan Watmore breaking into the Argyle box and letting fly, forcing central defender Dan Scarr to turn the shot away for a corner.
From the flag kick, Millwall's Plymouth-born defender Ryan Leonard headed wide of goal.
The home side's response was swift with Whittaker sending a low curling shot from the right past Bialkowski and the far post.
Whittaker went even closer after 56 minutes with a dipping shot from 20 yards which forced Bialkowski to turn the ball over his crossbar.
For all their pressure, Argyle were finding it difficult to break down a resolute Millwall defence and the away side turned that to their advantage approaching the hour on the counter.
Watmore's inch-perfect defence-splitting pass into the Plymouth penalty area put Flemming in on goal and he made no mistake, calmly slotting the ball home past goalkeeper Conor Hazard.
The goal spurred Argyle into another wave of attacks and led to Plymouth boss Steven Schumacher introducing attacking midfielder Luke Cundle and forward Mustapha Bundu.
Mumba again tested Bialkowski with a stinging 82nd-minute shot from the edge of area and, although the Millwall goalkeeper could not hold the ball, his defence cleared it for another corner.
As the game entered stoppage time, Argyle continued to press but the Millwall defence held firm with Azaz being forced to try his luck from long range, to no avail.
The visitors managed to clear the ball in a frantic stoppage goalmouth scramble before scoring a second goal on the break through Saville.
Plymouth's Steven Schumacher:
"Obviously we wanted to get a better result than that.
"I felt the way we played, especially early on in the game, the way we passed the ball, the energy and the quality that we showed was really good.
"We got into some dangerous areas but didn't quite make the most of those opportunities. Some of that was excellent defending from them and some of it was poor decision making from us.
"It was frustrating overall because on the balance of it I thought we definitely deserved something from the game."
Millwall's Gary Rowett:
"When I saw it was Plymouth away, I knew it would be a tough game.
"I have seen them play and seen a lot of their games at home. We saw the Norwich game and they have got a lot of quality and a lot of energy and more importantly a lot of confidence.
"You can feel the excitement and the energy of the crowd. I knew it would be a test for us today and our game plan was to sit a little deeper and see if they can break us down and entice them forward.
"I just felt that would open up some spaces on the transition.
"They are a good side and I think they will win a lot of games here.
"We were diligent and did enough to stop them breaking us down."
