Millwall 2 QPR 0
This was never going to be a quiet evening for Danny Shittu. Being the main culprit in this shock defeat for the Championship leaders, Queens Park Rangers, was not what he needed.
Shittu was returning to Millwall for the first time since snubbing the club's offer of a new contract in order to join QPR. The booing and barracking had been merciless from a Den crowd that was under the spotlight after unsavoury reports of missile-throwing against Watford and Middlesbrough.
But the home fans' mood was too good to cause trouble when, with the score at 1-0 to Millwall, Shittu conceded a penalty and was sent off in the 72nd minute. Liam Trotter scored from the spot and QPR were on their way to their first defeat in 12 Championship matches.
Kenny Jackett's recently goal-shy side were probably not too pleased to see QPR – boasting the best defensive record in the country – in town. Millwall pressed hard initially, though. Shittu quickly clattered the Millwall legend Neil Harris, doing little to ease tensions, and James Henry swung in a free-kick that zipped past the far post.
Despite their impressive record this season, QPR can occasionally start games slowly but they are never easily unsettled. So it was no surprise when Neil Warnock's men quickly created a chance of their own as Adel Taarabt floated in a free-kick from the left that Kaspars Gorkss met with a header that David Forde tipped over.
Back came Millwall, though, as the on-loan Tottenham Hotspur winger Andros Townsend delivered a corner that was headed wide by the captain, Paul Robinson. Next it was Steve Morison's turn to threaten as he turned sharply and struck a 30-yard effort that Paddy Kenny gathered.
That was followed by an exchange of long-range shots, midway through the first half, as QPR's Akos Buzsaky and Millwall's Harris tried their luck with speculative strikes that flew off-target. Both sides were showing intent but, with the game being played at a high tempo, there was a need for more cool-headedness in the final third.
Millwall managed to finish the first half strongly. Harris's angled, 30-yard volley narrowly cleared the crossbar and Morison then cut in from the left before producing a low shot that Kenny thwarted.
The intensity of the game stayed high after half-time and the best chance came Millwall's way. It is a mystery how Robinson managed to waste it, as he headed over from a couple of yards after Townsend's corner. Townsend was impressing on his first appearance and soon tested Kenny with a well-stuck drive.
Taarabt, supremely talented but sometimes too confident for his own good, then watched his audacious 40-yard, skidding shot trickle embarrassingly off target.
Millwall seized the initiative again, though, when Harris came close, on the hour mark, with a shot that was blocked by some desperate QPR defending. And the home side soon took the lead when Morison collected the ball neatly and surged down the middle before unleashing a shot, from just outside the area, that travelled with too much pace and power for Kenny to get close to it.
The ineffective Taarabt was then substituted by Warnock before Millwall doubled their lead when Shittu dragged down Morison and Trotter stroked in his spot-kick.
After that, Millwall controlled the closing stages, with a weak effort from Tommy Smith being the best that 10-man QPR could manage. As their players came off, their pain was visible on their faces. But it could have been worse. They could have been in Shittu's position.
