Barry Hayles put the brakes on Preston's promotion challenge with a late
winner for Millwall at The Den.
North End could have sealed a play-off place with a win here, and looked to
have gained at least a point when David Nugent struck a terrific goal to cancel
out Peter Sweeney's first-half opener for the home side.
But striker Hayles' 77th-minute winner sent Preston to their first defeat in
two months, and means they need another victory to guarantee a place in the
Coca-Cola Championship's top six.
Millwall suffered a scare when goalkeeper Andy Marshall was taken to hospital
for X-rays after being left unconscious following a collision with Preston
striker Richard Cresswell.
Preston were without winger Eddie Lewis, who has reportedly been suffering
from appendicitis and is out for the rest of the season.
Millwall made the brighter start and took an eighth-minute lead.
Danny Dichio allowed Jody Morris' left-wing cross to pass over his head,
deceiving Youl Mawene and allowing Sweeney to score with a crisp 10-yard shot
from right to left.
Cresswell almost equalised for Preston nine minutes later following a clever
free-kick involving Paul McKenna and Nugent, but his collision with Andy
Marshall left the Millwall goalkeeper unconscious.
The game was halted for six minutes as medical staff attended to Marshall,
before he was taken to Kings College hospital - where he regained consciousness
- and replaced by Graham Stack.
Millwall should have increased their lead in the 31st minute. There seemed to
be little danger when Chris Lucketti headed the ball back to Nash, but the
Preston goalkeeper contrived to fumble the ball.
Hayles nipped in and rounded Nash and Mawene, but the striker delayed his shot
too long, allowing Nash to make a fine recovery and push the ball around his
right post.
Nugent almost equalised for Preston four minutes after the break, but his
powerful 15-yard effort bounced clear after hitting his team-mate Cresswell.
But the former Bury man striker was not to be denied and fired a brilliant
58th-minute leveller.
Latching onto Cresswell's neat header, Nugent took the ball inside Matt
Lawrence with his first touch before flashing a low, 25-yard drive into Stack's
bottom-right corner.
But against the run of play, Hayles put Millwall back in front with a
well-worked goal 13 minutes from time.
The former Fulham striker played a one-two with Dichio before netting with a
12-yard shot to which Nash got a hand but could not keep out.
Two minutes from time, Brian O'Neil put Cresswell clean through but the
striker shot wide of Stack's left post.
Teams
Millwall Marshall (Stack 23), Phillips, Lawrence, Ward,
Muscat, Sweeney (Ifill 45), Morris (Wise 68), Elliott,
Livermore, Dichio, Hayles.
Subs Not Used: Simpson, May.
Booked: Lawrence, Muscat.
Goals: Sweeney 9, Hayles 76.
Preston Nash, Alexander, Mawene, Lucketti, Hill (Smith 86),
Sedgwick (Mears 66), McKenna, O'Neil, Agyemang (Etuhu 74),
Cresswell, Nugent.
Subs Not Used: Ward, Davis.
Booked: Lucketti, O'Neil.
Goals: Nugent 58.
Att: 11,417
Ref: P Joslin (Nottinghamshire).
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