Moore gives birds lift-off
KIEFFER MOORE ensured Neil Harris did not have to mark 12 months in charge of Cardiff with defeat at his former club.
The Wales striker raced clear to slot in an equaliser on 79 minutes.
Harris was denied a dream return to The Den by two world-class saves from Millwall keeper Bartosz Bialkowski.
While at the other end Iceland striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson was guilty of a shocking miss.
At half-time Harris was in danger of being beaten by the sort of Millwall performance that saw fans turn against him at the end of his reign at the Den last October.
The Lions barely got out of their half in the opening 45 minutes but when they did Matt Smith rose highest to head in the 35th-minute opener.
Harris, who is still Millwall’s all-time leading scorer with 138 goals, said: “Let’s get the disappointment out of the way with the goal we conceded.
“We were disappointed to be behind in a game that had nothing in it in the first half. A quality finish by the chief. The finish was outstanding.”
Cardiff dominated possession in the first half but Bialkowski only had to field off-target shots from Robert Glatzel and Junior Hoilett before the Lions struck on the break.
Smith moves like a fish out of water outside the box but is a shark inside it.
He looked third favourite to get on the end of Shaun Williams’ left-wing cross.
But he took full advantage of a moment’s hesitation from keeper Alex Smithies and centre-back Curtis Nelson to head into an unguarded net.
Ben Thompson should have doubled the hosts lead on 50 minutes but headed Jed Wallace’s pinpoint cross over the bar. It proved a costly miss when sub Josh Murphy’s pass dissected the Millwall defence and Moore won his foot race with Cooper to slot low past Bialkowski.
That sparked a grandstand finish which saw Polish keeper Bialkowski produce world-class saves to deny Harry Wilson and Moore.
Bodvarsson failed to hit he target with just Smithies to beat at the other end.
Then in injury time Murray Wallace cleared Bennett’s header off the Millwall goalline.
Lions manager Gary Rowett said: “It was a great ball from Willo to Smudge for the goal and we had the chances to win it.”
MILLWALL: Bialkowski 7; Leonard 6, Huchinson 7, Cooper 7, M Wallace 7; Woods 7, Thompson 7 (Bodvarsson 75), Williams 7; J Wallace 7, Smith 7 (Parrott 76), Bennett 6 (Malone 57, 6). Unused subs: Fielding, Bradshaw, Pearce, Brown, Skalak, Muller.
CARDIFF CITY: Smithies 6; Bacuna 6, Morrison 7, Nelson 6, Bennett 7; Wilson 7, Pack 7, Ralls 7, Hoilett 6 (Ojo 60, 6); Moore 6, Glatzel 6 (Murphy 75).
Unused subs: Phillips, Vaulks, Benkovic, Whyte, Bamba, Harris, Bagan.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Marlon Pack. Kept Cardiff driving forward for the full 90 minutes. REFEREE: Graham Scott 7.