Lions find their fangs QUICK DOUBLE DOWNS OWLS
SCOTT MALONE and Ben Thompson scored quickfire wonder goals to help see off a disappointing Sheffield Wednesday.
The Championship’s draw specialists seemed to be heading for another point until Malone and Thompson capped a great second-half display to secure Millwall’s first home win since October.
“Our away form has been top six, our home form has been bottom six,” said Millwall boss Gary Rowett. “Even though there are no fans there has seemed to be a bit of nervousness around the place. We’ve had a lot of drawn games and most of them we should have gone on and won.
“It has come down to quality and making sure you are ruthless.
“It was a great individual goal by Scotty and from then on it was a matter of how many as we kept our foot on the gas.”
Wednesday were ahead after 10 minutes, as Elias Kachunga ran clear down the left and played a low cross in to Callum Paterson, who forced it in at the second attempt. But the home side were level six minutes before the interval when Ryan Leonard was hauled down by Joey Pelupessy and Kenneth Zohore fired home the penalty.
Millwall came out for the second half inspired and, after Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Shaun Hutchinson were denied by Keiren Westwood, Malone put the Lions ahead in magnificent style on 68 minutes.
Picking the ball up on the left, he went round one defender and chipped the ball over a second before blasting a volley inside the near post.
A minute later, Thompson collected the ball on the right before lashing a fierce shot over Westwood and into the top corner.
The second-half rout was completed in the final minute when Mahlon Romeo was allowed to run 40 yards before his shot was diverted by Tom Bradshaw into the bottom corner.
“For the first 30 minutes, I was very disappointed,” Rowett said.
“I thought we were maybe waiting for the game to happen rather than impose ourselves on it.
“But the penalty changed our whole psychology and from then on in we were completely dominant – we’ve had 24-25 shots to their four.”
The defeat stalled Wednesday’s recent momentum as they sit second bottom.
“They played to their strengths and we were found wanting in the second half,” said Wednesday caretaker manager Neil Thompson. We looked leggy.
“In my time as caretaker the players have given me everything but we have to regroup, we have got another big game on Tuesday.”
MILLWALL SHEFF WEDS 9 ........ Shots on Target ......... 2 5 ........ Shots off Target ......... 2 9 ................ Corners .................. 1 10 ................. Fouls .................. 14 0 ............... Offsides ................ 0 66...Passing Success % 67.3 347 ....... Total Passes ........ 367 49.3 .... Possession % ..... 50.7 57.7 ..Territorial Adv %..42.3