Lions tamed as Rotherham seal survival

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Ben Smith reports on Millwall’s relegation…

Rotherham United’s 2-1 win over Reading at the New York Stadium on Tuesday night condemned Millwall to relegation, after Steve Evans’ side’s three-point deduction last week had given the Lions renewed hope.

Second-half strikes from Matt Derbyshire and Lee Frecklington ensured that Rotherham – who were punished by the Football League on Friday for fielding an ineligible player – picked up three points to move them four clear of Millwall with just one fixture remaining.

Neil Harris’ Millwall let a two-goal lead slip against Derby County at the weekend, and only gained a share of the spoils, thus blowing the opportunity to ensure the battle to avoid the drop went to the final day of the season.

“I can’t pick the players up at the moment,” Harris told the BBC after the 3-3 draw with the Rams on Saturday.

“It’s really simple: if Rotherham get the win on Tuesday we’re relegated. I won’t be watching the game.”

And win is exactly what Rotherham did.

It could have been so different for Millwall. Conceding late goals has been a major downfall of theirs during the run-in, going back as far as their defeat by Rotherham in late February.

The Lions were on course for a crucial win when Martyn Woolford gave them a first half lead. Danny Ward brought the Millers level in the second half, and Icelandic international Kari Arnason struck late on to secure victory for the Millers.

They were also made to pay in the dying embers of the London derby against promotion-chasing Brentford three weeks later. Lee Gregory and Aiden O’Brien had each got on the scoresheet to give the Lions a surprise 2-0 lead at Griffin Park, but they couldn’t survive a late Bees onslaught, and were denied by an Alex Pritchard penalty five minutes from time, and a last-minute leveler from former Leyton Orient winger Moses Odubajo.

A 2-0 defeat by Blackburn Rovers last week – again courtesy of late goals – left Millwall with a mountain to climb, and unfortunately for the South East Londoners, the tip of that mountain is unreachable, and a return to League One beckons.

The Lions were most recently in the third tier of English football in 2010, and since their promotion via the play-offs, they’ve been teetering on the relegation tightrope.

They performed well under Kenny Jackett in the 2010-11 campaign, finishing in a more than respectable ninth-place in the Championship, but they’ve subsequently ended up 16th, 20th, and 19th, and they will sit in the bottom three when the 2014-15 season ends this weekend.

On Saturday, Millwall travel to Molineux to face play-off contenders Wolverhampton Wanderers. Also competing for a spot in the top six are Brentford, who host Wigan Athletic (another team sentenced to League One football next season due to Rotherham’s triumph over Reading).

Both Wolves and the Bees will be relying on Steve Clarke’s Reading to get something at Derby County, the side currently occupying sixth place.

For Millwall, there will be no more trips to 37,000-plus stadiums such as Elland Road and Hillsborough. Instead, for next season at least, they will be paying the likes of Burton Albion and Shrewsbury Town a visit.

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