Goals in either half from Paul Ifill and Paul Sweeney gave high-flying
Millwall victory over Stan Ternent's Burnley battlers in Nationwide Division
One.
Millwall goalkeeper Andy Marshall had pulled off a string of top-class saves
to deny Burnley in the first half as Ifill's early goal settled the home side's
nerves.
Millwall, in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and firmly on course for a place
in the play-offs, had the first effort on goal after just four minutes.
Neil Harris tried his luck from 25 yards but his effort flew wide of the
target.
It was the visitors who almost grabbed a shock lead just two minutes later as
Marshall tipped Neil Wood's shot around the post.
Burnley threatened again after eight minutes with Marshall parrying Ian
Moore's shot and the increasingly busy Millwall goalkeeper made another
excellent save as he tipped Bradley Orr's 20-yard effort wide.
Having benefited from Marshall's heroics, Millwall then hit back to take the
lead.
Sweeney's fine pass set up Ifill, whose left-footed finish put the Lions in
front after 12 minutes.
Ifill then fired a shot over the top from distance in an action-packed opening
spell.
Marshall was again in the thick of the action as Burnley continued to
threaten, clawing away another goalbound shot from Moore.
But the visitors were then indebted to their goalkeeper Brian Jensen as he
tipped over a close-range header from Tim Cahill midway through the first half.
Moore and Wood both tested Marshall before Ifill was denied by Jensen.
Burnley were quickly out of the blocks in the second half with Marshall
cutting out a dangerous cross from Mo Camara.
But it was Millwall who doubled their advantage seven minutes after the
interval.
Ifill squared the ball across goal and Sweeney was perfectly placed at the far
post to score with a left-footed finish.
Burnley's Orr curled a right-footed shot just over the crossbar and Millwall's
Sweeney was denied by Jensen.
Burnley kept pressing with Robbie Blake missing the target from 20 yards after
63 minutes and Luke Chadwick sending his shot over the bar 13 minutes later.
But the home side also continued to look dangerous in attack with Jensen
saving well from Harris with 10 minutes to go.
Blake tested Marshall again with three minutes to go, but the Millwall
custodian was equal to it, capping an outstanding individual display.
Teams
Millwall: Marshall, Muscat, Lawrence, Ward, Ryan, Elliott,
Cahill, Wise, Sweeney, Harris, Ifill (McCammon 72).
Subs Not Used: Gueret, Roberts, Sutton, Braniff.
Booked: Ryan.
Goals: Ifill 12, Sweeney 52.
Burnley: Jensen, Roche (West 83), McGregor, May, Camara,
Little (Chadwick 72), Orr, Wood, Alan Moore (Branch 54), Blake,
Ian Moore.
Subs Not Used: Rachubka.
Booked: Roche, Little, Camara, Branch.
Att: 10,148
Ref: A Butler (Nottinghamshire).
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