Millwall got their First Division promotion bid back on track with a
hard-earned victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
It was Mark McGhee's side's first win in five matches and they were hanging on
at the end after seemingly coasting to victory in the first half.
Goals by Paul Ifill and Tim Cahill underlined Millwall's first half supremacy
and at that stage Forest had no answer to the visitors' all-round strength.
But Forest were a different proposition in the second half and a late penalty
by Marlon Harewood set up a frantic finale and with keeper Tony Warner producing
a string of fine saves, Millwall held on.
They had took charge early in the game but it was Forest who could easily have
gone into the lead in the first minute when a superb cross from Jim Brennan
presented opportunities for Harewood and Gary Jones to attack but both strikers
failed to make contact with the goal opening up before them.
But in the seventh minute Millwall took the lead following some excellent play
by Richard Sadlier.
He capitalised on a mistake by Riccardo Scimeca to wriggle into the box and
set up an opening which Ifill prodded past Forest keeper Darren Ward.
Christophe Kinet and Cahill went close to adding to Millwall's lead as the
visitors continued to look the more composed - and threatening - side.
And Cahill, who saw a header tipped over by Ward from Ifill's cross, was back
in the 41st minute to give Millwall a two-goal cushion. A corner from Belgian
winger Kinet saw Cahill move in to plant a firm header past Forest's static
defence.
It could have got worse for the home side before the break but Ward saved from
Ifill and Cahill saw his follow up deflected wide.
Forest stepped up the pressure in the second half and most of their
opportunities fell to Harewood, whose touch let him down on more than one
occasion as a goal beckoned.
Warner saved full-length from David Prutton and produced another fine stop
after Harewood had cut in from the left and released a stunning drive.
Forest were eventually rewarded four minutes from time when an attempted cross
from Andy Reid struck former Forest player Sean Dyche on the arm and Harewood
despatched the resulting penalty.
There was still time for Warner to make another splendid save from Harewood as
substitute Jack Lester pressed forward in search of an equaliser.
Teams:
Nottm Forest: Ward, Brennan, Hjelde, Scimeca, Thompson, Reid,
Williams, Prutton, Summerbee (Cash 67), Jones (Lester 67),
Harewood.
Subs Not Used: Roche, Gray, Dawson.
Goals: Harewood 87 pen.
Millwall: Warner, Ryan, Nethercott, Dyche, Lawrence,
Kinet (Bull 73), Cahill, Livermore, Ifill, Harris, Sadlier.
Subs Not Used: Ward, Gueret, Bircham, Naylor.
Goals: Ifill 7, Cahill 42.
Att: 18,511
Ref: C Webster (Shotley Bridge, Co Durham).
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