Millwall failed to give departing chairman Theo Paphitis the perfect send off
as they were held to goalless draw by Burnley.
Both teams looked as though they had already started their summer holidays as
they served up a drab 90 minutes.
With Millwall's Kevin Muscat returning to Australia this summer and questions
marks over manager Dennis Wise's future - it is likely to be all change at the
New Den next season.
And Burnley midfielder Micah Hyde should have sent the departing Millwall cast
off to pastures new with a defeat. However, the former Watford man missed a 32nd
minute penalty.
It did not take long for Millwall to provide the first goal threat of the
game, with former Chelsea midfielder Jody Morris sending an effort just wide in
the opening 10 minutes from a Peter Sweeney pinpoint cross.
For all of Burnley's early possession it was Millwall creating goal-scoring
openings. A great nod down on 28 minutes by Millwall's Ben May left Sweeney with
a clear sight of goal, but from the edge of the area he hit his effort high and
wide.
With Burnley increasing the pressure Mo Camara sent over a delivery from the
left and striker Graham Branch went down under an innocuous challenge from Matt
Lawrence.
Referee Brian Curson pointed to the spot, but Hyde's penalty just after the
half hour lacked any conviction and Graham Stack saved well down to his left.
A nasty challenge from Burnley's Tony Grant on Paul Ifill saw the first yellow
card of the game after 37 minutes.
However, the tackle was a sign of things to follow as the game threatened to
boil over in the final minutes of the half.
After a needless foul by James O'Connor on Sweeney, words and pushes were
exchanged, leaving referee Curson no option but to book the pair.
Millwall were left cursing their luck after the break as Ifill twice saw
reasonable penalty shouts turned down.
Former Aussie international Muscat was also left banging the turf in
frustration as his 55th minute effort was cleared off the line by a combination
of Burnley defender John McGreal and goalkeeper Danny Coyne.
Wise introduced himself after 67 minutes and his arrival immediately lifted
the Millwall players.
Wise is planning to hang up his boots next season but after this late cameo -
Millwall can ill-afford to be without their talisman.
Sweeney soon grazed the post with a 20-yard shot, while Marvin Elliott headed
over from Wise's free-kick on 73 minutes.
Muscat looked a man on a mission to sign off his Millwall career with a goal,
but he blasted over the bar in the final minutes after being teed up by Wise.
Teams
Millwall Stack, Phillips, Lawrence, Ward, Muscat (Quigley 86),
Sweeney, Morris (Wise 69), Elliott, Livermore, Ifill,
May (Peeters 56).
Subs Not Used: Simpson, Paul Robinson.
Booked: Sweeney, Muscat.
Burnley Coyne, Camara, McGreal, Cahill, Sinclair, Duff,
Branch, Hyde, Grant, O'Connor, Akinbiyi.
Subs Not Used: Roche, Oster, Jensen, Bowditch, Valois.
Booked: O'Connor.
Att: 12,171
Ref: B Curson (Leicestershire).
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