Battling spirit
Posted on: Mon 21 Apr 2008
Millwall staged a superb second-half fight back to secure a share of the spoils in a pulsating 2-2 derby draw with Charlton Athletic.
Scott Fitzgerald's young charges got off to the worst possible start when Charlton opened the scoring with their first attack of the game.
A long ball played through the middle caught the Millwall defence square, enabling Steven Lozano-Calderon to race forward and slot past advancing keeper Matt Lamprell.
The Valiants nearly doubled their lead just minutes later, but were denied by a brilliant diving save from Lamprell.
Having recovered from this early set-back The Lions regained their composure and had chances to score themselves.
Grant Ludford glanced his header wide from a Kamil Tefvic freekick and then central defender Charlie Reed sent a strong header fizzing over the bar following Ludford's inswinging corner.
Striker Lyle Taylor was denied by Charlton keeper Callum Christie after left-back Dan Fitzsimmons had played him through and Taylor then saw a fierce drive held at the second attempt by the keeper as Millwall kept the pressure on.
The Lions had a great chance to equalise seven minutes before the break when Gary Bowes' trickery worked an opening for Ludford, but the latter's header was palmed away by keeper Christie.
It was Charlton who hit the back of the net for a second time against the run of play on 40 minutes courtesy of Yado Mambo's clinical finish from a corner.
Whatever coach Fitzgerald said to his players during the interval certainly worked a treat as Millwall came flying out of the traps at the start of the second-half.
Taylor nearly reduced the arrears within seconds of the restart, only to lash the ball over from close range, but The Lions' persistence paid off after 55 minutes.
Kiernan Mason, a half-time replacement for Ludford, flicked the ball on to the hard working Taylor, who in turn shrugged off his marker and fired past the advancing keeper.
In the 66th minute Bowes delivered a tantalising free-kick into the Charlton danger zone, but a host of Lions players just could not get the all-important touch on the ball to steer it home.
A period of sustained Millwall pressure saw Charlton defend superbly, but their rearguard resolve finally cracked two minutes from time when Taylor picked out sub John Marquis and he fired past Christie from 12 yards for a thoroughly deserved equaliser.
Team: Lamprell, Sim, Fitzsimmons, Rogers, O'Connor, Reed, Bowes (Marquis, 70 mins), Keen, Taylor, Tefvik (Janneh, 64mins), Ludford (Mason, 46mins).
Scott Fitzgerald's young charges got off to the worst possible start when Charlton opened the scoring with their first attack of the game.
A long ball played through the middle caught the Millwall defence square, enabling Steven Lozano-Calderon to race forward and slot past advancing keeper Matt Lamprell.
The Valiants nearly doubled their lead just minutes later, but were denied by a brilliant diving save from Lamprell.
Having recovered from this early set-back The Lions regained their composure and had chances to score themselves.
Grant Ludford glanced his header wide from a Kamil Tefvic freekick and then central defender Charlie Reed sent a strong header fizzing over the bar following Ludford's inswinging corner.
Striker Lyle Taylor was denied by Charlton keeper Callum Christie after left-back Dan Fitzsimmons had played him through and Taylor then saw a fierce drive held at the second attempt by the keeper as Millwall kept the pressure on.
The Lions had a great chance to equalise seven minutes before the break when Gary Bowes' trickery worked an opening for Ludford, but the latter's header was palmed away by keeper Christie.
It was Charlton who hit the back of the net for a second time against the run of play on 40 minutes courtesy of Yado Mambo's clinical finish from a corner.
Whatever coach Fitzgerald said to his players during the interval certainly worked a treat as Millwall came flying out of the traps at the start of the second-half.
Taylor nearly reduced the arrears within seconds of the restart, only to lash the ball over from close range, but The Lions' persistence paid off after 55 minutes.
Kiernan Mason, a half-time replacement for Ludford, flicked the ball on to the hard working Taylor, who in turn shrugged off his marker and fired past the advancing keeper.
In the 66th minute Bowes delivered a tantalising free-kick into the Charlton danger zone, but a host of Lions players just could not get the all-important touch on the ball to steer it home.
A period of sustained Millwall pressure saw Charlton defend superbly, but their rearguard resolve finally cracked two minutes from time when Taylor picked out sub John Marquis and he fired past Christie from 12 yards for a thoroughly deserved equaliser.
Team: Lamprell, Sim, Fitzsimmons, Rogers, O'Connor, Reed, Bowes (Marquis, 70 mins), Keen, Taylor, Tefvik (Janneh, 64mins), Ludford (Mason, 46mins).
