Match ends, Millwall 1, Rotherham United 0.
MillwallMillwall1RotherhamRotherham United0
Millwall boosted their slim Championship play-off hopes with a narrow win over 10-man Rotherham.
The visitors had defender Richard Wood sent off for hauling down Jed Wallace as he looked to run in on goal after the break.
Wallace then gave the hosts the lead with a powerful finish after a corner had gone over everyone in the middle.
Rotherham had a great chance to equalise late on but Michael Smith saw his penalty well saved by Lions goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski.
Smith had won the penalty himself when he was fouled by Murray Wallace but Bialkowski did well to get down and keep his powerfully-struck shot out.
Paul Warne's side, who have a number of games in hand on teams above them because of several postponements caused by a Covid-19 outbreak, remain three points adrift of safety but still have three games in hand on 21st-placed Birmingham City.
Victory for the Lions saw them close the gap on the top six to seven points but they will need to keep winning if they are to have any chance of breaking into the play-off spots.
Gary Rowett's men visit Stoke on Monday, while Rotherham will look to kickstart their push to stay up when they host bottom side Wycombe on the same day.
Millwall manager Gary Rowett:
"We were fortunate, or indebted to our goalkeeper for making a great save.
"I felt the game should have been out the way, in some ways, by that point - we've had a couple of good opportunities, their keeper's made some great saves.
"Jed's finish to put us 1-0 up was a lovely goal and a goal well worthy of winning any game, but Rotherham don't give up.
"They refuse to be ruled out and they keep trying to do the right thing and, with 10 men, I just felt we could have made the game a lot easier for ourselves."
Rotherham boss Paul Warne:
"I think it was a good save, I don't think it was a horrendous penalty, but unfortunately it didn't go in the corner enough, like Jed's shot did.
"There's no complaint from me - you've got to have some bravery to take a penalty and it would have been fitting for the lad's work ethic today.
"To come away with a point here would have been a great point.
"It was a competitive game, where both teams cancelled themselves out for large periods."
Line-ups
Millwall
Formation 3-5-2
- 33Bialkowski
- 4HutchinsonSubstituted forPearceat 32'minutes
- 3M Wallace
- 5CooperBooked at 75mins
- 23McNamara
- 28Evans
- 19WoodsSubstituted forKieftenbeldat 88'minutes
- 24MitchellSubstituted forMahoneyat 73'minutes
- 14Malone
- 7J WallaceSubstituted forBödvarssonat 73'minutes
- 20BennettSubstituted forZohoreat 73'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Fielding
- 6Williams
- 9Bradshaw
- 12Romeo
- 13Zohore
- 15Pearce
- 16Kieftenbeld
- 21Mahoney
- 22Bödvarsson
Rotherham
Formation 3-1-4-2
- 1Johansson
- 20Ihiekwe
- 6WoodBooked at 56mins
- 21MacDonaldBooked at 90mins
- 26BarlaserSubstituted forJozefzoonat 78'minutes
- 19Harding
- 5WingSubstituted forClarkeat 78'minutes
- 25CrooksSubstituted forHirstat 78'minutes
- 30GilesSubstituted forWilesat 58'minutes
- 24Smith
- 10LadapoSubstituted forLindsayat 59'minutes
Substitutes
- 4MacDonald
- 8Wiles
- 9Hirst
- 11Ogbene
- 16Lindsay
- 17Sadlier
- 18Clarke
- 27Blackman
- 28Jozefzoon
- Referee:
- John Brooks
Match Stats
Home TeamMillwallAway TeamRotherham
- Possession
- Home60%
- Away40%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away2
- Corners
- Home8
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away6
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Millwall 1, Rotherham United 0.
Post update
Offside, Millwall. Jón Dadi Bödvarsson tries a through ball, but Kenneth Zohore is caught offside.
Booking
Angus MacDonald (Rotherham United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Kenneth Zohore (Millwall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Angus MacDonald (Rotherham United).
Post update
Foul by Kenneth Zohore (Millwall).
Post update
Trevor Clarke (Rotherham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Millwall. Maikel Kieftenbeld replaces Ryan Woods.
Post update
Attempt missed. Angus MacDonald (Rotherham United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Florian Jozefzoon with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Rotherham United. Conceded by Murray Wallace.
Post update
Attempt missed. Angus MacDonald (Rotherham United) header from the left side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Ben Wiles with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Rotherham United. Conceded by Jake Cooper.
Post update
Penalty saved! Michael Smith (Rotherham United) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
Penalty conceded by Murray Wallace (Millwall) after a foul in the penalty area.
Post update
Penalty Rotherham United. Michael Smith draws a foul in the penalty area.
Post update
Kenneth Zohore (Millwall) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Angus MacDonald (Rotherham United).
Post update
Murray Wallace (Millwall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Michael Smith (Rotherham United).
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