Ex Lions boss, Neil Harris, got the last laugh, at an empty Den on Saturday, as his Cardiff side equalised late in the game to take a point back to Wales.
A first half Millwall goal from Matt Smith was stamped out on 79 minutes through Cardiff City’s Kieffer Moore, leaving the home side frustrated with their missed opportunities to double their lead throughout the game.
It’s four games without a win now for Gary Rowett’s side, and the draw denied Millwall the chance to get only their second win of the season at home. A stat they’ll want to improve on if they are to really push for a play-off place this year.
The late surge from Cardiff to equalise sees them rise to 15th in the Sky Bet Championship, with Millwall retaining ninth position for the moment.
Slow Start
The tie was rather lifeless until the opener, telling of both sides form perhaps, but the deadlock was broken in the 35th minute when Matt Smith met a ball in from Shaun Williams to head home for Millwall, scoring their first goal in three league games.
The initial ball from Williams seemed to hang afloat, leaving Cardiff stopper, Alex Smithies, off his line when attempting to claim it, allowing Smith to easily direct it home.
The visitors’ first real chance of the half fell to Robert Glatzel just before half time. Lions keeper, Bialkowski, produced a good save to tip the header over the crossbar, meaning it stayed 1-0 at the break.
At the start of the second outing, Millwall squandered their opportunity to seal the game with Ben Thompson heading over. The ball had fallen to him from a Jed Wallace cross and the number eight found himself unmarked but failed to convert from six yards out. In hindsight, the midfielder will be kicking himself that he couldn’t put the game to bed.
Malone Mistake
Cardiff improved towards the end of the second half as it was looking more and more likely that the Bluebirds would grab a goal, leaving Millwall questioning themselves after their multiple missed chances.
A wayward pass from Scott Malone gifted Cardiff the ball, allowing Murphy to put through Moore who grabbed the equaliser with the help of Millwall defender, Jake Cooper, as the ball deflected off his boot. Bialkowski looked visibly frustrated with the error from his team.
Bialkowski Brilliance
Cardiff suddenly looked like the side that could win the game. Millwall could thank their man between the sticks though who pulled off two impressive saves to deny Moore and Harry Wilson the glory of a late winner.
The Lions then had a big opportunity on the break but Bodvarsson put it wide. The forward looked to the bench knowing he really should have done better.
Managers Thoughts
After the game, a disappointed Rowett told Sky Sports,
“It is what it is. We are a team. Whether it’s people missing chances or making mistakes, we just get on with it together”, in relation to Millwall making the mistake for the goal.
Overall he believes “it sums up where we are a little bit. We compete in every game, we’ve created some moments, but we can’t seem to find that little bit of quality that the teams above us in the league at the moment have all got”.
Rowett added “[I]always knew it was going to be a difficult game against Cardiff. With two physical teams, it was hard for anyone to really get a grip of the game and create open chances”.
Cardiff gaffer, Neil Harris, spoke with Sky, telling them he “can see a lot of good in what we do, but I’m wondering if that winning mentality is really there. I’ve seen a massive shift in winning mentality on the training pitch over the last 10 days and that has to translate to a Saturday afternoon”
Line-Ups
Millwall: 33 Bialkowski 18 Leonard 4 Hutchinson 5 Cooper 3 Wallace 19 Woods 6 Williams 7 Wallace 8 Thompson (Bodvarsson 75’) 20 Bennett (Maloneat 57’) 10 Smith (Parrot 76’)
Unused Subs: 1 Fielding 9 Bradshaw 15 Pearce 17 Brown 26 Skalak 35 Muller
Cardiff: 12 Smithies 7 Bacuna 4 Morrison 16 Nelson 3 Bennett 23 Wilson 21 Pack 8 Ralls 33 Hoilett (Ojo 61’) 10Moore 9 Glatzel (Murphy 75’)
Unused Subs: 1 Phillips 6 Vaulks 13 Benkovic 20 Whyte 22 Bamba 29 Harris 32 Bagan
Venue: The Den / Referee: Graham Scott
