New Millwall manager Gary Rowett watched his team come back twice thanks to two goals from Tom Bradshaw as he earned the Lions a 2-2 draw at home to Cardiff City on Tuesday evening at The Den and move five points clear of the relegation zone to end Andy Barrett’s spell as the caretaker manager with a positive result.
Danny Ward gave the visitors the lead in the 12th minute with a close-range header after a cross from Junior Hoilett. Bradshaw equalised for the South London club just before the break after his deflected shot looped over Neil Etheridge.
The Welsh club retook the lead in the 57th minute when Ward and Lee Tomlin created an intricate move that eventually found Hoilett, who curled home a stunning effort from just outside the box. The Bluebirds were derailed by the hosts once again when Bradshaw terrorised the Cardiff City defence to fire home into the top corner.
Action Packed
Millwall started the game on the front foot as Matt Smith guided his header narrowly wide of the post from Mahlon Romeo’s cross.
The visitors took the lead against the run of play when Hoilett dinked a lovely cross into the back post for Ward who coolly headed home through the legs of Bartosz Bialkowski. The Canadian winger combined excellently again with the striker; however, this time Ward could only manage to send his effort off target.
The Lions had a great opportunity to get the equaliser through Jake Cooper but he was only able to send his header straight at Etheridge, before Bradshaw fired home a deflected shot at the near post from the right-hand side of the penalty area just before the interval.
The Bluebirds started the second half well when Ward and Tomlin linked up well to find Hoilett, allowing the winger to curl home a brilliant shot past the reach of Bialkowski. The Welsh club had the opportunity to extend their lead but were frustrated by Bialkowski who pulled an impressive save to deny Sean Morrison from a corner.
Bradshaw got in behind the Cardiff City defence, swivelled past one defender and thumped home another equaliser into the top right-hand corner. The Wales forward could have completed his hat trick moments later but shot straight at Etheridge from an acute angle. The hosts thought that they had won it in end when Jed Wallace’s powerful shot was pushed away by Etheridge.
Barrett ‘content’
Millwall caretaker manager Adam Barrett was content after his side came back twice to earn a 2-2 draw with Cardiff.
“They were in the Premier League last year and they have got Neil Warnock at the football club and we knew that it would be a tough game and I was just delighted for the boys to come back especially after Saturday’s disappointment; we got a little bit edgy at times, but to claw back was a positive.
It could have gone either way in the end but I am delighted with the point,” Barrett told the club’s official website. “It has been a really tough two and half weeks, we have gone through every emotion… A great win at Leeds, the disappointment on Saturday and then to get the draw tonight, but I think that four points from three games is a good return with everything that has gone on so I am delighted with the boys in the end.”
Fresh Start
“I think it is exciting times for the football club and I think it is going to be a fresh start and a new look coming in for very experienced manager at this level; I’m really looking forward to working with him and learning from him and I think it is exciting times ahead.
“I met him yesterday for the first time and I am really impressed with him, Callum Davidson and Joe coming in with him and the lads have and like I said, the lads have shown bits of what we can do tonight and I’m sure he going to come in and really look to move us forward and I can’t wait to get started with him.”
Next Up
Millwall now sit 16th in the Sky Bet Championship table, five points above the relegation zone and will now face Rowett’s former club Stoke City who are currently fighting to stay in the division.
