MILLWALL failed to close the gap to sixth in their early kick-off on Wednesday as a dogged Middlesbrough clinched a controversial win at The Den.
Britt Assombalonga put Middlesbrough ahead in the 69th minute after Millwall thought Jake Cooper had been fouled in the build-up.
Ashley Fletcher added the second from the penalty spot in the 87th minute after he had been brought down by Cooper.
Lions’ play-off chances dealt huge blow
Cardiff’s defeat to Blackburn the previous evening had presented Millwall with the chance to reduce the gap to sixth to two points.
Boro spoiled the game and those hopes.
It was an awkward encounter in the drizzle at The Den. Although Boro had lost their previous two games, Millwall would probably have preferred to face the pre-Neil Warnock version. Warnock makes his teams horrible to play against and without fans he could be heard getting after the referee and the assistant as well as his own players.
The away side’s intent was clear when they got a first-half throw-in 40 yards out and centre-back Dael Fry went forward from Ryan Shotton’s delivery. Most of the Boro team is over 6ft and they were losing little in the air.
Millwall’s sense of frustration was deepened when Cooper thought he was fouled by Fletcher. That left Fletcher and Assombalonga through with only Shaun Hutchinson back, and the inevitable result.
Boro then took it upon themselves to take a water break, much to the annoyance of Lions boss Gary Rowett. Rowett also felt the opposition were persistently time-wasting.
That goal came just after Millwall’s best spell, when substitute Connor Mahoney had given them a threat on the flank they didn’t previously have. They twice went close to scoring at 0-0, with goalkeeper Dejan Stojanovic keeping out Matt Smith’s header with a brilliant save on the line.
Millwall pushed forward searching for a goal, leaving themselves exposed. Cooper fouled Fletcher and was booked. Fletcher fired into the top left corner to surely end Millwall’s top-six hopes.
Match details
After Marvin Johnson flashed a dangerous ball across the face of goal early on, Millwall had their first real opportunity in the 14th minute, but Smith headed over when well-placed eight yards out from Shaun Williams’ corner.
Hutchinson’s 19th-minute tackle in the six-yard box prevented Assombalonga from getting a decisive touch to Paddy McNair’s low cross.
There was a scare for the hosts in the 23rd minute when Djed Spence went down in the box from Murray Wallace’s challenge, but referee Tim Robinson gave Millwall a goal-kick.
Shotton blocked Ben Thompson’s volley from Mahlon Romeo’s delivery in the 29th minute, before three minutes later Spence crossed from the right but Fletcher tried to handle the ball in. The Boro striker escaped a booking.
Bart Bialkowski tipped over McNair’s fierce 22-yard free-kick in the 35th minute after Hutchinson fouled Assambalonga.
Thompson set up Jed Wallace for a shot just inside the box in the 45th minute but the effort didn’t really trouble Stojanovic.
Just before half-time Spence went down off the ball with Murray Wallace the closest Millwall player to him. Spence obviously felt he had been fouled, and in the empty stadium could be heard angrily asking the Lions defender, ‘what are you doing?’ An attempt by Wallace to reach out to the Boro wing-back was shrugged off. If Wallace did catch Spence then he could receive a retrospective ban.
It took Boro less than a minute of the second half to create a chance as Johnson again crossed low but McNair couldn’t keep his shot down.
Former Lions midfielder George Saville swiped at and completely missed the ball in the 61st minute. It was a let-off for the hosts.
Rowett made a triple change in the 63rd minute and moments later it almost spectacularly paid off as one of the substitutes, Mahoney, crossed and Stojanovic produced a stunning save to keep out Smith’s header. Stojanovic then used his feet to save Mahoney’s low drive in the 66th minute.
Then there was that controversial moment three minutes later when Fletcher appeared to clip Cooper on the right wing. The defender went down, play went on and Fletcher squared for Assombalonga to finish past Bialkowski.
Jed Wallace shot wide in the 76th minute before Boro countered and McNair’s effort from the right went past the left post.
Millwall couldn’t find a way through, as Fletcher’s goal ensured his side went from the relegation zone to 18th place.
Before the later kick-offs the Lions are in 10th with four games left.
Team news
Thompson and Williams came into the side for Ryan Leonard and Jayson Molumby.
Millwall: 5-2-2-1: Bialkowski; Romeo (Mitchell, 83), Hutchinson, Pearce (Mahoney, 63, Cooper, M Wallace (Ferguson, 83); Woods, Williams (Molumby, 63); J Wallace, Thompson (Bradshaw), 63); Smith.
Subs: Steele, Leonard, Burey, Skalak.
Image: Millwall FC