Millwall slipped to the bottom of the Coca-Cola Championship table after this 1-1 draw and look doomed to relegation as other results went against them.

Brighton's victory at Ipswich and the draw for Crewe at Crystal Palace left the Lions in desperate trouble and with no margin for error if they are to stage an unlikely escape act.

Plymouth's first away goal since January, scored by on-loan Portsmouth striker Vincent Pericard, was only enough to earn a point at the New Den as Marvin Williams equalised just after the half-hour mark.

The first shot at goal came from a surprising source as Millwall's on-loan Liverpool defender Zak Whitbread, who had gone up for a corner, briefly stayed in attack and had an effort saved by Romain Larrieu.

Plymouth went ahead in the 10th minute from their first meaningful move.

Paul Connolly swung over a corner from the left - and Pericard, completely unmarked, emphatically headed his first goal since a hat-trick against Coventry in February.

There was no immediate response from Millwall, and it took them until the midway point of the half to force Larrieu into action again - the Frenchman doing well to parry Alan Dunne's header.

But David Tuttle's side made their next chance count as Williams further enhanced his burgeoning reputation. The 18-year-old striker, back in the team after being sidelined with a dead leg, bravely got to the ball ahead of Larrieu and headed the equaliser.

Millwall ended the opening period on top, and Larrieu had to make another fine save from Ben May - pushing away his volley for a corner - while Paul Wotton was booked for a foul on Williams.

The second half started in similar vein, Dunne having another header saved.

While clear goalscoring opportunities were few and far between, May should have done better than fire over the bar from a Dunne corner in the 59th minute.

The visitors were being restricted to long-range strikes, and Connolly and Akos Buzsaky failed to test goalkeeper Colin Doyle before Williams was shown the yellow card for a challenge on David Norris.

Pericard headed wide, and Doyle denied Wotton.

At the other end, Larrieu held a David Livermore shot as both sides sought a winner.

Millwall's Marvin Elliott went closest in the dying stages with a header which went over the bar. But there was an air of inevitability at the end for the home fans, and relegation is now surely a matter of when rather than if.

Teams

Millwall Doyle, Lawrence, Phillips, Whitbread, Elliott,Dunne (Cogan 76), Livermore, Williams, Craig, Asaba (Powel 42),May.

Subs Not Used: Marshall, Vincent, Braniff.

Booked: Williams.

Goals: Williams 31.

Plymouth Larrieu, Connolly, Doumbe, Aljofree, Hodges, Norris,Nalis, Wotton, Capaldi (Buzsaky 60), Clarke (Evans 64),Pericard (Pulis 79).

Subs Not Used: McCormick, Chadwick.

Booked: Wotton, Pulis.

Goals: Pericard 10.

Att: 9,183

Ref: P Walton (Northamptonshire).