MILLWALL FC

1885---131st Anniversary year---2016 'We fear No Foe

Understood by those that matter

Saturday 28 November 2015

Millwall 1 Bury 0, League One Game 19, 28/11/15, Att: 8,311, away 456


31 POINTS AND BACK TO WINNING WAYS




We still struggle to score when it comes to a one on one with the keeper and Lee Gregory was guilty of this again which made this game a lot tighter when it come to the final 20 minutes of the 2nd half.
Shaun Williams scored one of his specials which he does from time to time which gave us the lead on 14 minutes and with a cold wind swirling around the ground both ourselves and Bury tried to score or score again but it wasn't to be and the single goal takes us just outside the play-off's with a two point gap.


Shaun Williams wearing the skippers armband gets mobbed after scoring a 25 yard low to the floor cracker

I am trying in my mind to describe this game and it's tricky. I know one thing it was not, it was not a classic. A scruffy battle of a game springs to mind. It felt like that we didn't somehow know how to play against Bury and couldn't dominate the game and keep them quiet. Bury were always a threat and kept us on our toes right through to the final whistle. Jordan Archer pulled off a super double save in the first couple of minutes and I was amazed how he done it, he is so agile its unreal. Quality Keeper. Their keeper was busy and as mentioned he come out for one on one's and was strong. Fred Onyedinma tested him and so did Lee Gregory as mentioned earlier and on other occasions



Cold Blow Lane Stand looking thin on the ground


Steve Morison was on the bench for this one and according to Neil Harris he should have been at home as he was unwell but he insisted that he was ok and come on in the 61st minute but could not add to the his goal tally. I cannot recall the last time we played this lot but it seems a long time ago so I wasn't sure what to expect and I know we would have them well scouted but they seem to have a style of play that makes them a bit of a hand full so it was three points well earn't
.
A short time later, I just looked it up. The last time we played them was 6/3/2001 and we lost 2-1.

Millwall: Archer, Cummings, Ferguson (Chesmain 83), Beevers, Webster, Williams, Saville, Onyedinma (Morison 61), Gregory, O'Brien Upson (Thompson 81),
subs not used, Forde, L.Martin, Nelson, Pavey

Goal: Williams 14 min

Bury: Bachmann, Riley (Pope 66), Hussey, Clarke, Etuhu, Clarke, Major, Jones (Rose 37), Soares, Cameron, Dodoo,  (Pugh 69),
subs not ued, Ruddy, Nardiello, Eagles, Brown

Our last 10 League Games  DLWDWWDWLW  out of 30 pts up for grabs we take 1

Tuesday 24 November 2015

Fleetwood 2 Millwall 1, League One, Game 18, 24/11/15, att: 3,326 (490 travel)

We were unchanged for this one


I'll quickly forget about this one, me thinks. We didn't turn up for this one and we got beat by a average lower league side who like to big themselves up playing in Arsenal shirts and calling their ground Highbury. They ain't no Arsenal but they know how to turn up on a crap midweek winters night in Lancashire and play to the conditions, I can't knock them for that and they earn't the three points as Jordan Archer kept their goal count to just two. I cannot forget the 490 who made the trip to our first visit to Fleetwood and they deserve a win this Saturday.

We concede cheaply

Us? in the end we could have sneaked a point from this game if we had not conceded late on but "could have" is a bit like if, as in, if only. We missed a couple of decent chances, I waffle on, Bury at home Saturday as I mentioned before and a chance to get back to winning ways. I like that feeling, I was getting used to it after 3 years of dross.

Millwall: Jordan Archer, Cummings, Webster, Beevers, J.Martin, O'Brien, Savill (Onyedinma 80m), Williams, Ferguson (Upson 63m), Gregory, Morison
subs not used, Forde, Nelson, Romeo, Thompson, L.Martin

Goal: Webster 90 (that's 2 in two)

Fleetwood Town: Maxwell. McLaughlin(Grant 85m), Pond, Davis, Bell Ryann, Jonsson, Sarcevic, Fosu (Forbes 77m), Ball (Proctor 83m), Henen
subs not used, Hunter, Haughton, Gogic, Teixeira

Goals: Jonsson 65, Grant 89


Sunday 15 November 2015

Millwall 4 Colchester United 1, League One, Game 17, 21,11,15, att:8,739 ''that's 12 goals in the last 3 games

*Shane Ferguson bangs in a couple in with all the attributes of a striker, cool, calm and a tidy finish. I didn't know he could do that*.

Colchester's travelling 442
 As near as you going to get for a local Derby in this league

Back in block 8 for this one and it was freezing but no gloves worn by me or any of the players or both sides. That's the way to do it.
We are scoring freely and it's usually by our deadly trio of Messrs O'Brien, Gregory and Morison. Almost a change of goalscorers for this one which proves that we have goals all over the pitch as we have already seen what Shaun Williams, Fred Onyedinma and Mark Beever's can do. As I said earlier Shane Ferguson can finish and even the improved Bryon Webster is on the money. At this moment in time I cannot see why we wan't top this division come judgement day.

Nicely poised with 28 points and just outside the play-off's. Lee Gregory has now gone 10 goals for the season in all comps. and we are undefeated in nine games. Things are looking rosey and I wonder where we will be come Christmas.

Millwall: Archer, Cummings, J.Martin, Beevers, Webster, Williams, Saville, Ferguson(Onyedinma 71), Gregory (L.Martin 83), Morison, O'Brien (Upson 79),
subs not used, Forde, Nelson, Thompson, Romeo

Goals: Gregory 13,  Ferguson 38, 62, Webster 81

__

Colchester United: Jones, Edwards, Elokobi, Gilbey, Moncur, Massey, Olufemi, Eastman, Bonne, Harriot, Sordell (Porter 46)

subs not used, Parish, Wright, Lapslie, Sembie-Ferris, Curtus, James

Goal: Porter 55

*****
24.11/15 Paris Cowan-Hall joins Bristol Rovers on a one month emergency loan. He's had a few injuries and has not hardly played in the first team so I am sure getting proper match fit should kick start his playing ability, hopefully.

27/11/15  Jack Powell joins Braintree Town on loan until the new year. Seems a bit of drop to me but perhaps he will appreciate more playing for Millwall and the bright lights that can bring.

Tuesday 10 November 2015

Plymouth Argyle 3 Millwall 5, League Trophy, Game 3, 10/11/15, Tuesday night, att:5,869 (wa take 295)

The Johnstone Paint Trophy


Lee Gregory scores 3 or was it 4

This trophy is a bit of fun and we are making it ours. 300 made the long Tuesday night journey down to League 2 front runners Plymouth on a Tuesday night and this five goal tally was a good reward. We seem to have approached this game with a bit of a carefree attitude as its a break from the "serious games" and it produced goals not just for us but the opposition as well. In our first two wins in this competition we kept clean sheets but I sensed a "go for it type of attitude as in 'if the opposition score two we will score three"  Plymouth are on top of  League 2 and must have thought they were in with a chance but once again our strike force was on their game as Lee Gregory got four and Aiden O'Brien got one to finish them off. Plymouth scored some crackers and looked useful so even more so for us it was a good win. There is a international break this weekend and we could afford to bust a gut in this one as plenty of time to recover and it paid off.
I know that our 43rd minute goal is officially credited to Mark Beevers but Lee Gregory and Neil Harris are adamant that Gregory scored it,  so I will record it as such.

Millwall: Archer, Edwards (Nelson 34), Webster, Beevers, J.Martin, Onyedinma(Thompson 88), Saville, Williams, O'Brien(Upson 83), Morison, Gregory
subs not used, Pavey, Girling

Goals: Gregory 21, 43, 49, 58 pen, O'Brien 66

Plymouth: McCormick, Mellor, Nelson, Hartley(Purrington 83), Sawyer, Threlkeld, McHugh, Tanner(Brunt 62), Carey, Wylde(Simpson 69),Jervi
subs not used, Cox, Bittner

Goals: Jervis, 34, 85 Carey 56
_____

Other results in this cup tonight

Wigan 4 Blackpool 0
Barnsley 2 York 1
Fleetwood 0 Sheff Utd 0
Fleetwood win 4-1 on penalties

Rochdale 0 Morcambe 1
Gillingham 1 Yeovil 1
Yeovil win 5-4 on penalties

These two below played the next night

Dagenham & Redbridge 0 Oxford Utd 2
Southend Utd 1 Bristol Rovers 0

The draw for the next games is this Saturday coming
No league game this Saturday as yet another international break



14/11/15
Just seen the draw and it's away to Southend. They have beat us the last two times we played them but we have improved since then so should be a interesting tie

Thursday 5 November 2015

George Saville stays to the end of the year

 Cheers Kenny

Loan signing George Saville stays with the Lions for another 2 months, he seems to like it here

Wolves manager Kenny Jackett is letting him stay and he must be pleased that he is getting game time and developing into a player he can use in the future. He may also be doing us a favour but surely not because after all professional football is a cut throat business and nobody does any favours, do they?

Monday 2 November 2015

AFC FLYDE (who are they?) COMING TO THE DEN, FA CUP 1ST ROUND PROPER

LET EM COME

We have drawn non-league AFC Fylde in the FA Cup. I had to look this lot up and apparently they have a few bob and are sitting on top of the Vanarama National North League after only been beat this season a couple of times. They have just beaten Stalybridge 5-0 in front of a crowd of 472 which makes it nine wins on the bounce and one of their supporters stated on their forum that if they continue this form they can beat us...Dream On Sunshine



Up near Tower Bridge .. AFC Fylde London trip hotel
***

The Game 
7/11/15
Millwall 3 Fylde 1 att: 3,445 (164)


FA CUP AND WE ARE UP AND RUNNING, AS I SAID "DREAM ON SUNSHINE"

Skipper Tony Craig out injured and Steve Morison wears the armband

Pre-match thoughts, interesting. Never played these before etc. We should do them but then it is the FA Cup ,anything can happen. I am a little bit worried regarding how many of our important players are not playing due to injuries and also loan players who are not because their own clubs do not want them cup tied , but I am sure we still have enough to "do them".

164 of them turned up for the biggest game in their history

The dedicated 164

David Forde started and he done ok overall but he still managed to have one of his scary moments when he come for a ball that wasn't really his and you heard a few groans. 

A break in the play
The deadly trio conspire


The first half finished 0-0 and although it was a half that did not have us on the edge of our seat. Fylde are a decent side and played a steady game and were a threat but we handled them ok. We was lacking a cutting edge a fizz all over the park and the subbing of non-effective Paris Cowan-Hall who was making his full home debut and bringing on League 1 player of the month Aiden O'Brien done the job. He contributed to upping the tempo and it didn't take to long before he buried our first when he picked up the ball and run in towards the Fylde goal and oozing quality he beat the keeper low to his right. It wasn't long after that and Lee Gregory was giving it ago and scoring when he picked up a ball from Shaun Williams and then went inside and outside of the player at right back and clinically stroked home our second of the game. 2-0 and cruising, or so I thought. AFC Fylde had a goal in them and we being Millwall let them score it as they cut in from the left and after Bryon Webster halted the move their player Whittle managed to shoot towards the fire post and the ball was in.
Aiden O'Brien was there again being busy and this time feeding Steve Morison who moved in towards goal and with the class of a proven striker masterfully side footed the ball past the Fylde keeper. Game over, I wonder who we got in the next round?

A sparse Cold Blow Lane, all in all a poor home attendance

Millwall: Forde, Cummings, Webster, Beevers, J.Martin, Cowan-Hall(O'Brien 45), Thompson, Williams (Powell 90), Onyedinma, Morison (Pavey 90), Gregory
subs not used L.Martin, Arrcher, Romeo, Wood

Goals: O'Brien 54, Gregory 60, Morison 88

AFC Fylde: Urwin, Hughes, Hanningan, Collins, Whittle, Charles, Wilson(Finley 77), Baker, Hughes(Liloyd-McGoldrick 83), Rowe, Blinkhorn
subs not used, Hinchliffe, Sumner, Barnes, Hardy, Langley

Goal: Whittle 62

The ref was driving me nuts, defo anti-Milwall
_________

The next day

The 2nd round draw and we pull Wycombe Wanderers at our place, that's winnable