MILLWALL came from a goal down before Hull City pegged them back at The Den to deny them a first win in six games.
Millwall were behind early on when Kamil Grosicki drilled home from inside the box, but Lee Gregory levelled to leave it 1-1 at the break.
The Lions were rampant early in the second half and after Hull cleared two efforts off their line Aiden O’Brien fired the home side in front from the edge of the box.
But Hull were level with 17 minutes left when Markus Henriksen headed in after a corner.
Verdict
Millwall have conceded the first goal in six of their last seven league games at The Den so Hull’s early strike was never likely to induce panic despite the poor run of recent form.
Gregory showed his striker instincts to target Brandon Fleming, who was making his league debut, for his goal, and it was a first assist for James Meredith since August 2016.
O’Brien made it a goal double for the injury doubts before the game with a beautifully crisp finish.
But the defensive frailties this season were still evident when Millwall conceded from another corner, an area they were so strong in last season.
The point lifts them out of the Championship’s bottom three – temporarily before the later game between Reading and Stoke – but they really needed more when they have two tough away games coming up at Preston next weekend and then Stoke.
They were in a great position to win this after putting Hull under so much pressure early in the second half, but didn’t take their chances.
Match details
Gregory was back in Millwall’s starting XI and O’Brien was also included despite being carried off on a stretcher at Bristol City last Sunday and having a crack in his knee.
Ryan Leonard returned from suspension to replace Shaun Williams, while Tom Elliott had recovered from a hamstring problem to take his place on the bench.
There was an early scare for Jordan Archer when Frazier Campbell blocked his attempted clearance and the goalkeeper had to scamper to dispossess the striker and give away a throw-in.
Just three minutes later Hull went in front when Jarrod Bowen slipped Grosicki through in the box and he drove in low at Archer’s near post.
Millwall have been through enough recently not to let that deflate them and Meredith was in particularly attacking mood. From his 22nd minute cross Gregory peeled to the back post to head past goalkeeper David Marshall for his eighth goal of the season.
The Lions were confident now and when Mahlon Romeo made a run into the box five minutes later he was found by Steve Morison, but the full-back shot straight at Marshall.
Millwall saw two efforts cleared off the line early in the second half, first Jordy de Wijs preventing Jed Wallace giving the home side the lead, and from the corner Shaun Hutchinson’s header was hacked away by Campbell.
The hosts were hungry for goals and when O’Brien crossed from the left Jake Cooper and then Morison just failed to make contact.
But 10 minutes into the second period O’Brien ran onto a pass from Morison and with plenty to do he shifted the ball to his left foot to beat Marshall from 25 yards for his fourth goal of the season.
Hull were struggling to cope with the barrage of crosses and set-pieces and from Wallace’s free-kick Hutchinson thumped a header just wide.
But Millwall dropped deep to try to protect their lead, and Nigel Adkins’ side were rewarded when Henriksen headed past Archer.
A draw was little good for either side at the wrong end of the Championship table and both managers made attacking changes, Adkins sending on striker Chris Martin before Neil Harris introduced Elliott and Shane Ferguson.
But neither side could create another goal chance as Campbell fired high over the bar in added-time.
Image: Millwall FC