MILLWALL succumbed to their first loss in ten games after Frank Lampard’s Coventry City dominated the Lions at The Den to secure a 1-0 win.
Coventry were more threatening throughout, and eventually Ephron Mason-Clark made the difference in the 63rd minute when he sidefooted Jack Rudoni’s cross into the net.
It was a meek Millwall performance, who did not really get going until the last five minutes, when it was too little too late for the Lions to snatch an equaliser.
It’s a result that sees Millwall drop to eleventh in the table, and extend their winless streak to four games.
The Lions were in part hindered by injuries and suspensions. Romain Esse was not included in the match-day squad, while Japhet Tanganga missed the game through suspension after he picked up his fifth yellow card of the season last weekend against Oxford United.
Tanganga was one of three senior centre-backs that missed the match, meaning Neil Harris had construct a makeshift backline that saw Ryan Leonard shift over from right-back to start along side Murray Wallace, who was making his first start this season.
They were facing a Coventry side that were winless in their last five matches, but who now had a England legend sitting in the dugout. Lampard was named head coach of the Sky Blues last week, and was taking charge of his second game.
Millwall thought they had taken the lead in the 12th minute after Joe Bryan’s corner sailed straight into the net, but it was ruled out due to a push on Sky Blues goalkeeper Bradley Collins, much to the audible dismay of The Den.
Other than Bryan’s disallowed goal, both sides offered little going forward. Millwall did not have an attempt on goal until the 35th minute, while Coventry had their first touch in the Lions’ box in the 34th minute.
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Tatsuhiro Sakamoto burst past Casper De Norre and put in a low cross to Rudoni, who was robbed by George Saville. Seconds later, Millwall burst forward through Macaulay Langstaff, who exchanged passes with Femi Azeez before firing his shot from just inside the box well over the bar.
The game picked up a bit after that, and the Lions had their second shot of the half in the 45th minute after Duncan Watmore drove nearly the entire length of the pitch before shooting well over from outside the box.
It was a shot that summed up Millwall’s half. They looked dangerous, but were missing the ‘killer instinct’ that Harris thought they lacked last weekend against Oxford United. Their passing in the final third was simply not good enough.
Coventry had the first chance of the second half, and really should have opened the scoring. Victor Torp put the ball into the box, and it fell for Mason-Clark, whose close-range effort was miraculously blocked by Jensen.
However Mason-Clark did not miss the second time round. In the 63rd minute, Rudoni put in a cross to the back post that he sidefooted past Jensen into the Lions net.
Harris reacted quickly, bringing on youngsters Mihailo Ivanovic and Aidomo Emakhu, but the Lions could not quite find an answer to their attacking woes.
Coventry pushed for a second, and the Lions had Ryan Leonard to thank for keeping the score at 1-0. In the 73rd minute Mason-Clark threaded the ball through to Rudoni, whose shot shot blocked from a tight angle.
The Sky Blues nearly sealed the three points from a corner in the 85th minute, but Bobby Thomas’ header rattled against the post.
.Neil Harris threw on every attacker he had as the clock ticked towards 90, but Millwall looked disjointed and really struggled to create clear-cut chances. The Lions were able to win corner after corner, but could not make them count.
Millwall were clearly missing Jake Cooper’s presence in the box, and were unable to really threaten from set-pieces.
The Den was in full roar as the clocked ticked down, but the Lions could not quite replicate the miraculous late equaliser against Sunderland two weeks ago, and final whistle blew after Joe Bryan’s corner sailed straight out for a goal kick.
Millwall: 4-2-3-1: Jensen; McNamara (Bradshaw 86), Wallace, Leonard, Bryan; Saville (Wintle 80), De Norre (Mitchell 80); Watmore (Emakhu 64), Honeyman (Ivanovic 64), Azeez; Langstaff
Subs not used: Roberts, Bradshaw, Mayor, Smith, Harding
Coventry City: 4-2-3-1: Collins; Bidwell (Dasilva 74), Latibeaudiere, Thomas, Van Ewijk; Sheaf, Torp (Eccles 61); Mason-Clark (Thomas-Asante 74), Rudoni, Sakamoto; Simms (Bassette 61)
Subs not used: Allen, Binks, Dasilva, Kitching, Dovin, Tavares, Thomas-Asante
Referee: Thomas Bramall
Attendance: 16,460 (3,025)
