MILLWALL’S winless away run was extended at Ewood Park as the Lions were beaten 2-1 by Blackburn Rovers.
Gary Rowett’s side defended well in a poor first half which saw the two sides go into the break at 0-0, but the second half far worse for the visitors.
A mix-up at the back saw Tyrhys Dolan score from an easy charge before the hour-mark, with Ben Brereton Diaz scoring from a corner just six minutes later to put Rovers into a dominant position.
Jake Cooper converted from Tyler Burey’s cross with a little under 14 minutes to play, but the visitors couldn’t repeat their heroics from Swansea away.
Match details
Blackburn, rocking a new-look attacking lineup, were the first team to go for goal after winning a free-kick around 30-yards out. George Long came out to punch the ball away as far as Tyrhese Dolan, who looked to loop the ball into the back of an empty net, but his shot flew over the bar.
Millwall won a free-kick in a similar position three minutes later, but instead of crossing it into the box Zian Flemming took aim with a fierce strike. However, just like Dolan’s earlier effort, it whizzed wide of the target.
Rovers looked to maintain their pressure in the final third, but found themselves being caught out by the Lions on the counter. Their kamikaze defending didn’t help, however, with Flemming and Benik Afobe pressing every time the hosts played out from the back.
Millwall’s best chance of the game came on the half-hour mark when Blackburn got a short free-kick horribly wrong, allowing Callum Styles to pick up the loose ball and play Afobe through on goal. He was forced out to the right flank, however, and the hosts’ defence were able to close him down as he got his shot away.
Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side had the best chance of the opening 45 minutes in first-half stoppage time after winning a corner, which Long had to get down low to keep out, sending the sides in level at the break.
After an early penalty shout for Millwall in the second half, the hosts went on to dominate the early stages of the game. Long was forced into action to beat Brereton Diaz to a back pass, which he cleared as far as Ryan Hedges, who fired wide from distance.
Seconds later, Brereton Diaz missed another chance from close range, firing a shot miles over the bar, although the flag went up to save his blushes. Clearly, it wouldn’t be long before Blackburn put one in the back of the net.
That moment came in the 56th minute when Sam Gallagher breezed past Murray Wallace, playing a low cross into the box. Long came out to claim it, but Cresswell rushed in to clear it while he was off his line. His undercooked pass trickled out to Dolan, who slotted the ball into an empty net to give Rovers the lead.
Six minutes later, things went from bad to worse. Blackburn won a corner, which Tyler Morton whipped towards Brereton Diaz. The Chilean international got in front of George Honeyman, allowing him to tap the ball past Long from close range.
It looked like Millwall were dead and buried as the clock ticked towards the final stages of the match, but with 14 minutes left to play, the Lions got themselves back in it. Substitute Tyler Burey recycled an overhit cross back into the box, with Jake Cooper rising highest to head a low effort past Kaminski.
A late flurry of chances came the way of the visitors, but Flemming, Cooper and Andreas Voglsammer failed to get Millwall level in the dying stages.
Blackburn: 3-4-3: Kaminski; Hyam, Ayala, Wharton; Hedges, Travis, Morton, Pickering; Dolan, Gallagher, Brereton Diaz
Millwall: 5-2-1-2: Long; Shackleton, Cresswell, Cooper, Wallace, Malone; Mitchell, Styles; Honeyman, Afobe, Flemming
Takeaways
Long keeps his place
In a surprise move, Rowett opted to keep Long as his goalkeeper over Bialkowski despite previously confirming that the former Polish international was the Lions’ first-choice.
The 28-year-old made an impressive low save to deny Blackburn a goal in first-half stoppage time, although a mix-up with Cresswell allowed the hosts to open the scoring.
Will Rowett stick with Long against Rotherham on Wednesday evening?
No changes, different result
Millwall played well in their wins against Cardiff and Blackpool, with Rowett opting to keep the same lineup from their most recent match at The Den.
Ultimately, the outcome was far worse, although not too unfamiliar from what we’ve seen of the Lions on the road so far this season.
Something will need to change in South Yorkshire next week.
The winless run continues
Millwall have failed to win an away game in the Championship since March 5, a run which stretches back to 11 games. In that time, the Lions have played at Ewood Park twice, taking just one point.
Whether it’s a mentality issue or a tactical one remains to be seen, but at the moment, it’s costing Rowett’s men almost every time.
The fixtures won’t get any easier in the coming weeks and months.
Photo: Millwall FC