Goal for Cahill in Millwall return

TIM Cahill has scored a goal in his first appearance in Millwall colours in almost 14 years.

The three-time World Cup striker swept home from close range to help the Lions’ under-23 team to a 3-2 victory over Coventry City in the Professional Development League fixture.

It came a day ahead of the senior team’s fourth-round FA Cup replay against Rochdale, which Cahill is ineligible for as he signed a day after the original tie.

The 38-year-old left Melbourne City in December and joined the Championship club in late January.

He last played for the Lions in the 2004 FA Cup final. His first opportunity to play for the senior team comes on Saturday against Cardiff City in the Championship.

After leaving City, Cahill trained on his own in Byron Bay where he was monitored by the Socceroos’ conditioning team, overseen by team doctor Craig Duncan. Australia’s alltime leading scorer is attempting to become only the fourth player to score at four consecutive World Cups. ANTONIO Conte’s future as Chelsea manager was cast into further doubt yesterday when the struggling English Premier League champion was thrashed by Watford 4-1.

The west London club, which lost 3-0 at home to Bournemouth last week, was poor again as Tiemoue Bakayoko was sent off inside half an hour for a second yellow card for a second woeful tackle.

Chelsea has lost three of its past four games in all competitions, and now sits fourth in the league.

“Our performance was very bad from the start,” Conte said. “Maybe I made a mistake in the starting XI. My choices were very poor because our start was very poor.”

Conte again had Eden Hazard as Chelsea’s main attacking option with new signing Olivier Giroud on the bench.