Stevenage |
0 |
1 |
Millwall |
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Venue: The Lamex Stadium | Beevers, 62 |
MARK Beevers headed home the only goal of the game as Millwall won their first pre-season game.
Paris Cowan-Hall, Lee Gregory and Lee Martin all returned from injury as they started for the Lions in the win, after missing the Bromley and Wimbledon draws.
And Millwall dominated the game against Teddy Sheringham’s side from the first whistle to the last.
Cowan-Hall had an early chance for the visitors when Martin picked up the ball in his own half and played a sweeping cross-field pass over to his fellow winger.
But he was in two minds whether to shoot or cross and in the end, the winger opted to square the ball to Marquis.
The striker was waiting on the edge of the penalty spot, but the ball was under hit and eventually cleared.
Jimmy Abdou had one of Millwall’s best chances of the first-half when, after a good spell of possession, Cowan-Hall delivered an inviting ball to the edge of the six-yard box.
The cross was met by a lurking Abdou but the chance was spurned when the midfielder headed just wide having been under pressure from his marker.
Five minutes before half-time, Shaun Williams had the Lions’ best chance of the half.
Following some intricate, snappy passing, the ball eventually found its way to Marquis, whose cross to Martin was played off to Gregory on the penalty spot.
Instead of shooting, Gregory laid the ball off to Williams, who nonchalantly arrowed a left-footed effort onto the crossbar.
Stevenage had one real chance of note after 41 minutes when striker Dipo Akinyemi crossed to his forward partner Brett Williams but, his glancing header fell wide of Millwall’s left-hand post.
Eight minutes after the interval, Shaun Cummings dinked a ball over to Gregory seven yards out from goal.
The striker went on to chest the ball down and, on the half turn, try to fire past Stevenage goalkeeper Chris Day, but the effort was miss-hit and trickled through to the keeper.
Harris made four changes on the hour with David Forde, Martin, Gregory and Cowan-Hall all replaced by Jordan Archer, Jack Powell, Fred Onyedinma and Jamie Philpot.
And it was Powell who made the quickest impact.
The Lions were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the Stevenage area, and Powell would step-up to take.
The ball was delivered in with plenty of whip on it straight to the head of defender Beevers who headed past Boro keeper Day to give the visitors the most deserved of leads.
After the goal, the game itself wasn’t too eventful, with Millwall continuing to dominate.
Substitute Ben Thompson picked up the ball in midfield and made a positive run to the edge of the box, before unleashing a shot just wide of the post.
With ten minutes left, Powell drilled in a corner that missed everyone in the area as the ball fell to captain Craig ten yards out.
The defender was leaning back as his foot connected with ball, sending the shot high over the crossbar.
Aside from Stevenage’s one real chance in the first half, Millwall dominated the entirety of the 90 minutes.
Manager Harris might have been a little disappointed that their persistent domination didn’t amount to more goals.
But Millwall saw the game out to secure a first win after two straight draws in pre-season.