Millwall

Lee gearing up for toughest test
Millwall manager Colin Lee thinks that the next three fixtures are the toughest of the season for his team. The Lions, on a five-match unbeaten run in the Championship, face Norwich, Sheffield United and Southampton. "This period is probably the hardest of the season for us in terms of the strength of clubs playing us over the next three games," Lee told Sir Stanley. "If we can take something from these games, points off these clubs, then it will be a big scalp for us." Lee took over the helm at MIllwall in late pre-season when the club controversially decided to sack Steve Claridge on 27 July after only 33 days in charge. It left little time for Lee to bring new faces into a squad that had lost several of its best players over the previous months. Predictably, Millwall struggled at the start of the season. They lost six of their first seven Championship games, including a 5-0 thrashing by Reading. "I do not like looking back but if we had not had the situation that we went through, we feel we would be closer to the play-offs," added Lee. "I have always been able to generate a happy working environment and we did not lose that through the bad period - that is down to a lot of help from staff as well as belief and commitment from players. "The players never lost their enthusiasm to want to improve and that is why we were able to get the run going - but we have to continue to do that." The unbeaten run started with an away win at in-form Wolves on 13 September. The Lions have not lost since then but Lee will not be accused of becoming carried away. "Now the camp is a lot happier, things are a lot fresher in training, with more confidence," said the Lions boss. "It is nice to have an unbeaten run going but our target is a long way off. "We have set a minimum goal of retaining Championship status and when we get to that figure we can look at things in a more positive way. Our first aim is to reach 50 to 52 points." Millwall remain second from bottom of the table but now have 10 points from their opening 12 games. Crucial to Millwall's recent progress has been the arrival on loan of Phil Ifil, Jermaine Wright and Ady Williams. Under the terms of the Championship loan system on signings made once the transfer window has closed, all three must return to their clubs before re-signing for Millwall. "Since they came in we are unbeaten, which shows the effect they have had on results," said Lee. "Those loan players have to go back and it creates unbelievable disruption throughout the football club. "It is a very difficult juggling act to deal with. We are not blessed with a big squad - and that is our biggest difficultly."

Striker Powel seals Lions switch
Millwall have completed the signing of striker Berry Powel from Dutch side FC Den Bosch for £125,000. The 25-year-old, who played in goal until he was 19, is the top scorer in the Dutch second division this season with 19 goals in 24 games. "Hopefully I can score some goals to help us stay in the Championship, then I'd like to challenge for a place in the Premiership next season," he said. Powel should make his debut away to Cardiff next Tuesday.

Millwall 2-1 Luton
Marvin Williams came off the bench to score a priceless injury-time winner for Millwall and sink Luton. Ben May put the Lions ahead after 32 minutes when he controlled a high ball on his chest and beat Marlon Beresford for his third goal in three games. Luton were level a minute after the interval when Chris Coyne scored after good work by Steve Howard. Williams then burst between two static defenders late on to prod the ball past Beresford to give Millwall the points. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Millwall manager David Tuttle on his decision to substitute impressive debutant Colin Cameron: "I made the decision and luckily it worked. Colin played 90 minutes for Wolves reserves on Thursday and didn't train yesterday. "He's only here for a month and obviously we want to look after him. He's a great player and we didn't want to burn him out in his first game. "Marvin and Barry Colgan came on and livened the game up. With the effort we put in, I thought we deserved a result." Luton manager Mike Newell: "I'm getting used to not winning games that we should away from home. It's more than frustrating and I'm fed up of saying it. "I didn't feel we competed in the first half, and I told them at the break to go out and compete and I felt we did. But we're not putting sides away when we're away from home. "If we can sort that out I think next year we will have a real chance of promotion. We're not giving up this year - although obviously this hasn't helped - but we're looking for other teams to slip up now." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Millwall: Marshall, Lawrence, Paul Robinson (Dyer 82), Whitbread, Elliott, Dunne (Williams 72), Cameron (Cogan 72), Craig, Livermore, May, Asaba. Subs Not Used: Doyle, Braniff. Booked: May, Paul Robinson, Whitbread. Goals: May 33, Williams 90. Luton: Beresford, Foley, Underwood, Heikkinen, Coyne, Edwards, Nicholls, Holmes (Morgan 86), Brkovic (Showunmi 86), Howard, Vine (Feeney 73). Subs Not Used: Brill, Barnett. Booked: Vine. Goals: Coyne 47. Att: 9,871 Ref: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).

Ipswich 1-1 Millwall
David Livermore's late equaliser kept 10-man Millwall's survival hopes alive with a hard-earned point at Ipswich. Livermore rose to nod high into the roof of the net, minutes before Lions' Tony Craig was sent off for a second bookable offence. Ipswich took an early lead through teenager Owen Garvan's thunderous strike, his third goal of the season. Millwall keeper Andy Marshall kept his side alive with fine saves from Matthew Richards and Danny Haynes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ipswich manager Joe Royle: "We started so well and should have gone on to a convincing victory "We scored but then didn't have another shot for 30 minutes. We over-passed on a pitch not conducive to passing football. I want my players to pass the ball but in the opposition half. "All our stars were in defence. You shouldn't be asking your defenders to be the star men when you are needing to win home games. "Still, Millwall are playing better than their position suggests. They are not one of the worst three sides in the League. I warned everyone not to be taken in by our short odds on the coupons and what people were expecting. "I give maximum marks to the referee but the goal followed what should have been a free-kick to us, following a call by a Millwall player that the referee never heard. "I can't criticise my players. We needed to win this match but if we can take the points at Preston on Tuesday we will make up for it." Millwall manager David Tuttle: "It was a fantastic performance. We started slowly. Ipswich were on top for 10 minutes but after that we coped very well and maybe deserved more than a point. "All our players battled all the way through and all credit to them. All that matters is that we finish this season fourth from bottom because it is no good playing well and still getting relegated." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ipswich: Supple, Wilnis, De Vos, Naylor, Barron (Sito 72), Westlake, Juan, Garvan, Richards (Haynes 54), Lee (Magilton 70), Currie. Subs Not Used: Price, McDonald. Booked: Wilnis. Goals: Garvan 6. Millwall: Marshall, Lawrence, Whitbread, Paul Robinson (Phillips 67), Craig, Dunne, Elliott, Cameron, Livermore, Asaba, Powel (Williams 64). Subs Not Used: Doyle, Cogan, Braniff. Sent Off: Craig (90). Booked: Dunne, Craig, Phillips. Goals: Livermore 85. Att: 24,864. Ref: B Curson (Leicestershire).

Millwall v Leicester
Millwall's Barry Hayles could make his first appearance in almost four months. The striker has been out with a knee injury since November, Ben May will start after illness and Jamie Vincent will step in for the banned Tony Craig. Leicester stand-in skipper Patrick McCarthy has a thigh injury and striker Matty Fryatt a groin problem. But there is some positive news coming out of the Foxes treatment room with Patrick Kisnorbo, Rab Douglas and Momo Sylla all back in training this week

Millwall 0-1 Leicester
Millwall dominated the second half but were unable to make their superiority count as Stephen Hughes' strike plunged the Lions deeper into the mire. Hughes lobbed home Gareth Williams' pass just after the half-hour to give Leicester a deserved half-time lead. Millwall pressed through a succession of David Livermore corners, one of which forced Paul Henderson to tip away Paul Robinson's close-range header. But Millwall couldn't add to their 11 goals at home and remain third-bottom. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Millwall manager David Tuttle: "If I was a betting man I'd bet on us to stay up. "We performed well and put them under a lot of pressure in the second half but couldn't put the ball in the net. "I will be trying to get a striker in before the loan deadline passes this week." Leicester interim manager Rob Kelly: "We're not safe yet and we must keep our focus. "This league is unusual with the results recently - look at Sheffield Wednesday beating Preston. "The players have been magnificent for me and they were again." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Millwall: Marshall, Lawrence, Vincent (Hayles 58), Whitbread, Paul Robinson, Elliott, Dunne, Livermore, Cameron, May, Asaba (Williams 31). Subs Not Used: Doyle, Phillips, Braniff. Booked: Whitbread, May. Leicester: Henderson, Kisnorbo, McCarthy, Johansson, Stearman, Maybury, Hughes, Williams, Gudjonsson, Hume (Welsh 84), Fryatt (O'Grady 66). Subs Not Used: Douglas, Brevett, Gerrbrand. Booked: O'Grady. Goals: Hughes 31. Att: 10,523. Ref: M Thorpe (Suffolk).

Share issue launched by Millwall
Cash-strapped Millwall are hoping to raise almost £10m for the club by launching a share issue. The Lions are hoping the funds will "reduce bank borrowings and provide working capital for the football club," according to the club's website. They are also keen for the financial boost to "allow Millwall to pursue the opportunity of property-related urban regeneration," the statement added. Lowly Millwall also face relegation to League One this season.

Watford 0-2 Millwall
Relegation-haunted Millwall pulled off a deserved shock win to dent the promotion hopes of Watford. The Hornets missed a first-half penalty when Gavin Mahon's spot-kick was saved by Lions keeper Andy Marshall. They paid the price when Carl Asaba struck on 66 minutes after Colin Cameron's astute cross from the right. And in injury-time, as the Hornets hunted for an equaliser, Millwall netted again as Ben May drilled in a low shot after a swift counter-attack. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Watford boss Adrian Boothroyd: "You have to give credit to Millwall. They certainly play for their manager, they put bodies in front of the ball and they work very hard," he said. "We had an indifferent display for 15 minutes where we lost our discipline. "We were trying so hard to score we forgot our duties without the ball and Millwall got in." Millwall boss David Tuttle: "We have got the three points which we needed and we have to go into the Brighton game and hopefully get another three points there. "We all love Millwall and we have to do it for the fans who were fantastic on Saturday. "If we can carry on with that, I still believe we can get out of it." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Watford: Foster, Doyley, Mackay (McNamee 86), DeMerit, Stewart (Bangura 75), Eagles, Mahon, Spring, Young, King, Henderson. Subs Not Used: Chamberlain, Chambers, Carlisle. Booked: Henderson. Millwall: Marshall, Lawrence, Elliott, Paul Robinson, Vincent, Dunne, Livermore, Whitbread, Cameron, Asaba (May 84), Hayles (Williams 72). Subs Not Used: Doyle, Braniff, Ifil. Booked: Paul Robinson, Whitbread, Hayles, Livermore. Goals: Asaba 66, May 90. Att: 16,654 Ref: A D'Urso (Essex).

Cameron extends stay at New Den
Midfielder Colin Cameron will spend the rest of the season on loan at Millwall from Championship rivals Wolves. The 33-year-old joined the New Den outfit at the start of March and has turned in some impressive performances for the relegation-threatened side. Wolves were happy to let Cameron extend his stay in London, after telling him that he would not be offered a new contract when his current one expires. They do, however, have a 24-hour recall option included in the deal.

Millwall 0-2 Brighton
Brighton registered the second away win of their Championship campaign to give them a slim hope of avoiding the drop. The visitors dropped ever-present skipper Guy Butters and employed an attacking 4-3-3 formation, tactical changes that paid dividends early on. After just six minutes the ball fell to Paul Reid in the area and the Australian slotted home from six yards. Within five minutes it was two, Paul McShane converting Richard Carpenter's corner with a brave near-post header. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brighton manager Mark McGhee: "We still have Sheffield Wednesday to play but it's probably too late for both clubs which is a great shame. "Had Southampton not won today - and we both have to play them - we might have had a chance of dragging them into it, but it wasn't to be. "But all we can do is battle on, like we have done all season." Millwall manager David Tuttle: "The players are down, they came off the pitch listening to the fans' frustrations but we accept that. They know they were poor. "But we have to roll our sleeves up, pick ourselves up and get on with it. "We made two mistakes for the two goals and then went downhill badly. We were dire all game." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Millwall: Marshall, Lawrence, Vincent (May 45), Paul Robinson, Whitbread, Elliott, Dunne, Cameron, Livermore, Asaba (Williams 45), Hayles, May (Braniff 87). Subs Not Used: Doyle, Craig. Booked: Paul Robinson, Cameron, Hayles. Brighton: Henderson, Hinshelwood, El-Abd, Lynch, Reid, Hart (Gatting 37), Hammond, Carpenter, McShane, Noel-Williams (Butters 87), Kazim-Richards, Gatting (Mayo 51). Subs Not Used: Dodd, Chaigneau. Goals: Reid 6, McShane 11. Att: 13,209 Ref: K Hill (Hertfordshire).

Derby v Millwall
Striker Mounir El Hamdaoui is expected to make a surprise return on loan from Spurs having been ruled out for the season with a hernia. Striker Kevin Lisbie is only rated 50-50 with a hamstring problem while Adam Bolder has a foot injury. Millwall midfielder Jody Morris is likely to make his first appearance since fracturing a cheekbone seven games ago. Defender Paul Robinson is banned after 10 bookings.

Wolves recall Cameron from loan
Wolves have recalled midfielder Colin Cameron from his loan spell at Millwall because of a midfield injury crisis. Boss Glenn Hoddle has been robbed of Denes Rose, Darren Anderton and Seyi George Olofinjana through injury. Scotland international Cameron, 33, had made five appearances for the Lions since joining them in March. He had been training with Wolves during the early part of each week, before joining up with Millwall in the build-up to their weekend games. Cameron was recently told that he will not be offered a new deal by Wolves when his current contract expires at the end of the season.

Derby 1-0 Millwall
Tommy Smith's winner put Derby within touching distance of Championship safety and pushed Millwall further toward the relegation trapdoor. Smith notched his sixth goal of the season with a low drive from the edge of the box which beat Lions' keeper Colin Doyle's dive. Millwall dominated the first half, but lacked ideas in the last third of the pitch to trouble Derby's defence. On-loan Charlton striker Kevin Lisbie spurned two chances to seal the game. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Derby caretaker boss Terry Westley: "Crewe are 11 points behind us with four to play so mathematically they can catch us, but we're nearly safe. "I'd like to be able to sort out the problems we have when we play away. "But we've won four on the trot at home, and at this stage of the season, that's the most important thing." Millwall boss David Tuttle: "We're staring it in the face. We have to win our next four games, we've only won five all season. "So you would say we are getting relegated. Our problem all season has been scoring goals and we've not been good enough. "We had 75% of the play, created lots of chances, but not had a shot at goal which is disappointing." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Derby: Camp, Edworthy, Moore, Nyatanga, Wright (Jackson 70), Barnes, Idiakez, Seth Johnson (Bolder 63), Smith, Lisbie, El Hamdaoui (McIndoe 64). Subs Not Used: Poole, Peschisolido. Goals: Smith 31. Millwall: Doyle, Phillips, Lawrence, Whitbread, Dunne, Livermore, Elliott, Morris (Vincent 29), Craig, Asaba (Powel 79), May, Vincent (Cogan 72). Subs Not Used: Braniff, Brooks. Booked: Phillips. Att: 24,415. Ref: P Taylor (Hertfordshire).

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