Match Day Thread Millwall v Preston North End The Den 23/2/2019

Mid morning train to that there London to see those happy chappies from the Den, Millwall, this promises to be an attritional game as the Lions are one of those no frills sides who are devilishly hard to play against

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Last season they suprised every one with a late season surge which almost took them into the play offs like us they only narrowly failed to do this. Under the stewrdship of Lions hero Neil Harris over the last couple of seasons they have been highly effective winning promption from league 1 and almost doing the same thing last season. This season they have probably have second season syndrome close to the relegation zone although they have a couple of games in hand over the teams below them but thye are still in the cup with every chance of getting into the semi final although not known as I write who they play in the quarters (Brighton). Last season drew 1 all although they may possibly have had a good goal ruled out by let's say an iffy decision.

Hard place to go too and escape from last season's marathon coach journey home means train this time.

No real star names in their squad although they did play a sizable amount for Tom Bradshaw who is out for the rest of the season

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Millwall Football Club (/ˈmɪlwɔːl/ or local /–ˈ–/)[1] is a professional football club in Bermondsey, South East London, England. The team competes in The Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the Millwall area of the Isle of Dogs in 1910. From then until 1993 the club played at what is now called The Old Den in New Cross, before moving to its current home stadium nearby, called The Den. The traditional club crest is a lion rampant, referred to in the team's nickname 'The Lions'. Millwall's traditional kit consists of blue shirts, white shorts and blue socks.

In Millwall's 91 seasons in the Football League from 1920–21 to 2017–18, the club have been promoted eleven times (five times as champions) and relegated nine times. They have spent the majority of their existence yo-yoing between the second and third tier of the Football League. The team spent two seasons in the top flight between 1988–90, in which the club achieved its highest ever finish of tenth place in the First Division. In 2004, the team reached the FA Cup final and qualified for the UEFA Cup, playing in Europe for the first time in their history. The club has reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 1900, 1903, 1937, 2013 and the League Cup quarter-finals in 1974, 1977 and 1995. Millwall have also won two League One playoff finals in 2009 and 2016, the Football League Group Cup in 1983, and finished runners-up in the Football League Trophy in 1999.

In the media, Millwall's supporters have often been associated with hooliganism, with numerous films having been made fictionalising their notoriety. The fans are renowned for their chant "No one likes us, we don't care". Millwall have a long-standing rivalry with West Ham United. The local derby between the two sides has been contested almost a hundred times since 1899. The club also share a rivalry with Leeds United, and contest the South London derby with local rivals Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic.



Last night the Lions won at Derby good result on thre face of it although you have to remember we are now entering Derby collapse territory as per usual therefore the result may not be as impressive as first seen.

Team News: Millwall

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Preston North End manager Alex Neil has no new injury concerns ahead of his side’s trip to face Millwall on Saturday.
Having only made one change to his side in the last six games, a similar squad could be involved in the trip to The Den once again, although he has options available should he wish to freshen things up.

The side played a behind closed doors reserve game in midweek, allowing members of the squad to get vital minutes under their belt, meaning all the fit players are ready to be called upon, if required.

Of the long term casualties, Callum Robinson and Louis Moult (hamstring) are both moving closer to a return to training and are now back outside running and could return within the next few months.
Billy Bodin and Josh Harrop (both ACL) are also starting to run on the grass, but are still someway behind the two others and are unlikely to be seen until the latter end of the season, if at all.
Goalkeeper Connor Ripley is beginning his rehabilitation to the ankle injury he suffered in a reserve game, but it out for an extended period.

For the hosts, Neil Harris must do without former North End full back and Northern Irish international full back Conor McLaughlin, who has a quad injury.

They are also currently without Welsh striker Tom Bradshaw, who has been ruled out for most of the season with a knee injury, but should be back in action before the end of the current campaign.

Alex Pearce could return at the heart of the Millwall backline, after missing the clash with Frank Lampard's Derby County on Wednesday night due to the terms of his loan move from the Rams; Shaun Hutchinson - who replaced Pearce alongside skipper Jake Cooper at Pride Park - may step out for the returning centre half, however, after an impressive clean sheet - their fourth in five games - this will be a tough call for the manager.

Neil Harris Ready For ‘Hard-Working’ PNE

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Millwall picked up an impressive three points on the road at Frank Lampard’s Derby County on Wednesday night and will be full of confidence heading into the weekend’s clash with the Lilywhites.

ater the 1-0 triumph at Pride Park, Lions manager Neil Harris spoke to iFollow Millwall and felt that despite his side playing on Wednesday night and North End not having any midweek game, the result would provide the necessary fillip needed to boost energy levels.

“When you get three points at a place like [Pride Park] and the confidence that that gives, tiredness doesn't matter,” said Harris.

“That goes out of the window. We will get back late. We will reassess on Thursday and on Friday the lads will start to prepare for Preston.
“For those who are playing, it is not about training, it is about recovery, preparation, information and heart and determination.”
And the former Millwall striker believes it was an important win, with other clubs watching on and hoping for them to be pulled into the scrap near the foot of the table.

“Everyone in our club is excited with the run in the FA Cup,” he continued. “But everyone in the Championship will have been looking [at the Derby game] to see if we can match that with a league performance.

“[They are asking] are we going to fall away on the Wednesday, after the Saturday? But there are a lot of managers who will be disappointed by our result and that is a credit to the players.”

However, he is not taking anything for granted in terms of his next test and believes that PNE will provide a difficult challenge.
“We have Preston on Saturday, who are a team bang in form. [They are] a really good side, a really hard-working team.
“We had two unbelievably tough games against them last year - we had two draws – and they are a team who got the better of us at Deepdale, because of their first half display, and we know how difficult it is going to be,” he added.
Ref Watch: Millwall

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For the second time on the road this season, North End will have Steve Martin as the match official for a game when we travel to the Th Den to face Neil Harris’ Millwall this coming weekend.
the experienced ref was in charge of the Lilywhites 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest in December, when Louis Moult scored the only goal of the game.

Last season we also saw the referee twice, the home game against Hull City in February and the away game at Wolves back in October 2017.

The 2016/17 campaign he took charge of three North End games, having been the man with the whistle of our home win over Cardiff City in September 2016, our away win at Norwich City in October and the 1-1 home draw with Ipswich Town in January 2017.
The 3-0 win over the Bluebirds was his first clash at Deepdale since the EFL Cup second round victory over Watford in 2015/16, when Marnick Vermijl’s goal won the tie for the Lilywhites.

He also officiated PNE in March 2013 when we drew 0-0 with Leyton Orient. He has, however, refereed North End twice since then on the road – red cards being produced in both encounters.

He sent off Oldham Athletic’s Johnson Clarke-Harris when the Lilywhites beat the Latics 3-1 at Boundary Park in March 2014. And he was also the man in the middle when PNE made the long journey to Havant & Waterlooville in the FA Cup in 2014/15, sending off two Havant players in the live televised match as PNE swept their non-league opponents aside 3-0 thanks to Callum Robinson’s hat-trick.

This will be his third Millwall game of the season, having refereed their 2-1 win over Frank Lampard's Derby County back in August and their New Year's Day triumph over Ipswich Town, when the Lions came out on top of a five-goal thriller.

This weekend his team will see him assisted by Ian Cooper and Adam Crysell, whilst the fourth official will be John Busby.

 

Millwall 1 Thompson Preston North End 3 Hughes, Clarke, Maguire

Millwall line-up: Archer, Hutchinson ©, Cooper, Williams, J Wallace, Gregory, Romeo, Elliott (Morison, 46), M Wallace (Ferguson, 46), Leonard (Thompson, 66), Marshall. Subs not used: Martin, Onyedinma, Pearce, O’Brien.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Clarke ©, Hughes, Pearson, Storey, Davies, Barkhuizen (Johnson, 72), Gallagher (Nmecha, 72), Maguire, Browne, Potts (Ledson, 90). Subs not used: Crowe, Earl, Rafferty, Stockley.

Attendance: 1015

Referee: Mr S Martin

Basically we had won this after 30 minutes three up and cruising to victory the game could have died there and then but fair play to the home side they didn't give up in the second half and made us work hard and if they had got a second could have been interesting but on the balance of play thoroughly deserved the victory.
One change Fisher mised out Clarke came in, could have been one up in the first minute Archer saving well from Barkhuizen after good work by Maguire, not toworry we were soon in front Gallagher free kick only half cleared by defence Hughes first effort blocked second effort with right foot flew in.
The second from a corner again by Gallagher poor defending Clarke header fom eight yards, the third again Gallagher involved sublime pass to Maguire who flicked the ball past Archer three up in only 30 minutes dreamland. It was all too easy with Barkhuizen giving Murray Wallace a runaround, Maguire's intelligent front running and the usual stellar performance from Pearson. The Lions were dangerous on the odd occasion they got forward with the giant Elliott causing us some problems in the air.
Two changes from the home side at the break and bringing on the experienced Morison helped the home side also we lacked the itensity of the first half and had to deal with a lot of home side pressure in the second half, they had gone close a coupkle of times before substitute Thompson scored with his first touch. Nearly had a second after Rudd parried a shot the rebound should have been buried the home player put it wide and with it went their last chance of salvaging anything.
One down side Pearson who was public enemy number one after being on the receiving end of some treatment from the home side received his 10th booking of the season which means he misses the games against Bristol and the Plastics. Otherwise Job done and up to 10th.

Millwall manager Neil Harris:

"The second goal was embarrassing. The players didn't do what they were supposed to. We were lacklustre first half - we didn't get out the traps.

"The players got a reminder at half-time about what it means to play for this club. You can't give teams three-goal headstarts in this division. I'll praise them for the second half, but not the first. We were terrible.

"Preston were good today, but it was more that we were really poor. We let ourselves down.

"Hull (on Tuesday) is the third game in six days, so I'll have to think not just about the physical aspect of it, but the disappointing performances of some of the players. I'll certainly take my time in considering my starting 11."

Preston manager Alex Neil told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"It was one of our best performances, in terms of the first half. I thought we took Millwall apart and we could have scored more than three. The only disappointing thing was second half, we need to show more composure - I thought we tried to turn the ball too much.

"I've been saying for a while we're probably one wide player short and I thought that came home to roost today in terms of wanting to keep pace at the top end, because that was hurting them, but also wanting to keep the full-backs in place on the flanks.

"If you offered me 3-1 beforehand I'd certainly have taken it because this is a tough venue to come and win. Inevitably when you've got something to protect - and you can hear the (Millwall) fans are really demanding of their team, naturally the players are going to respond and react to that.

"We just needed to take a little bit more care, have a bit more incisiveness with the pass, take an extra touch and move the ball."

 

This was a good win. Do you think NE should play ALL their games away from D'dale?

 

No play all games wearing the green kit

 

Sensible but would the Old Invincibles turn in their graves?