Spoils shared
Millwall U18s Portsmouth U18s 1
Lions coach Scott Fitzgerald suffered mixed emotions as his young side battled back to secure a deserved share of the spoils at home to Portsmouth.
On the plus side, full-back Andrew Callaghan, having just come back from injury, got a solid 45 minutes under his belt for Millwall.
However the down side was the sight of striker Lyle Taylor being stretchered off with an ankle injury just five minutes before the break.
In an entertaining encounter, Gary Noel had an early opportunity to put The Lions ahead, but was unable to connect with Taylor's cross from just six yards out.
At the other end, it was left to full-back Dan Fitzsimmons to clear to safety following a goalmouth scramble that saw a plethora of defensive blocks thwart the visitors.
Taylor was denied the opening goal on 10 minutes when his firm shot from a Michael Noone free-kick was held at full stretch by Pompey keeper Tom Smith.
And the keeper was again called into action just minutes later when he prevented Gary Bowes from poking the ball home from five yards.
The visitors broke the deadlock after 23 minutes following a whipped in near post corner which was bundled over the goal line, although home keeper Nicky Jupp looked to have been bundled to the ground in the process.
Not to be fazed, the battling Lions regrouped and continued to press forward in search of an equaliser.
Noel went close in the 26th minute and then 12 minutes before the break a fierce low drive from midfielder Pat O'Connor was athletically tipped around the upright by Smith.
Millwall had the ball in the back of the net from the resulting corner, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.
Five minutes before the break the hard-working Taylor was injured and eventually left the pitch on a stretcher following a lengthy spell of treatment.
The Lions came out for the second half with all guns blazing and immediately forced a succession of corners.
When Noel sent over a deep cross for sub Ryan James, who was inches away from connecting, whilst Bowes proved a constant threat on the right flank with some decent deliveries into the danger zone.
Millwall's pressure finally paid off in the 53rd minute with a finely worked leveller. James and Bowes combined and the latter's cross was met by Noel who directed his header wide of the keeper.
Minutes later midfielder Danny Keen nearly put The Lions ahead when his speculative drive from distance flashed just wide of the upright.
Central defender Charlie Read executed the perfect interception on the hour mark to deny Jordan Hughes a clear run on goal as Pompey pushed forward, but it was The Lions who generally held the upper hand as the game progressed.
Billy Jeffreys' goalbound effort was saved by Smith, and the Pompey could only look on in relief as Noone fired over from sub Kamil Tefvik's cross late on.
Noone could have wrapped up the points in the dying minutes when he dispossessed defender Ugo Udoji on the edge of the area, but saw his shot smack the woodwork.
With almost the final play of the game it was left to home keeper Jupp to grab the plaudits with a superb last-gasp reflex save to deny Portsmouth victory.
Team: Jupp, Callaghan (Tefvik 46 mins), Fitzsimmons (Ebsworth, 68mins), O'Connor, Read, Jeffreys, Bowes, Keen, Taylor inj. (James, 40mins). Noel, Noone. Subs not used: Semper, Rogers.














