Danny’s at the double
McNamara 31, 47,
Afobe 72
BARNSLEY
Palmer 49
DANNY McNAMARA was urged to shoot on sight after his first goals in senior English football kept Millwall’s play-off hopes alive.
The homegrown wingback waited until his 50th appearance and the club’s second annual community day to bag a match-winning double.
He broke his duck in the 31st minute when he slotted in Jed Wallace’s low cross from the left.
McNamara doubled the advantage on 47 minutes when he headed home Scott Malone’s far-post cross.
His strikes had fans shouting shoot every time he touched the ball after.
McNamara was then substituted with Lions boss Gary Rowett denying he was being a party pooper.
He said: “We have been waiting a long time for Danny’s first goal, then he goes and scores his second one pretty quickly.
“Paul Robinson has been working with Danny to get him in at the back post and
I am pleased that he scored a couple of goals.
“Danny had a tight hamstring, so asked to come off.
“I am not that much of a miserable g** that I would try and stop people scoring hat-tricks.”
Barnsley boss Poya Asbaghi said: “Defensively that was the worst performance since I came and it is not good enough for a team that wants to stay in the Championship.”
The Tykes are eight points from safety with six games to play, though they started the game strongly, only for Callum Brittain and Callum Styles to fluff early one-on-ones.
They then lost goalkeeper Brad Collins to injury after just 24 minutes and there was also a suspicion of offside for Millwall’s opener.
But no flag was raised as Wallace raced clear and his cross was met at the far post by McNamara. The 23-year-old then ghosted in to head in Malone’s wicked left-wing cross.
That looked to be game over but Romal Palmer pounced on a weak Daniel Ballard clearance to thrash home two minutes later.
It was just delaying the inevitable.
Oliver Burke turned the ball in from close range on 58 minutes before Benik Afobe cracked in an angled shot for the 72nd-minute fourth.
Bialkowski 7; Ballard 7, Cooper 8, M Wallace 7; McNamara 9 (Leonard 81), Kieftenbeld 8, Mitchell 8, Malone 8; J Wallace 8 (Bradshaw 81), Afobe 7, Burke 7 (Burey 77).
Subs not used: Long, Ojo, Saville, Evans.
Collins 5 (Walton 24); Brittain 6, Andersen 6, Kitching 6, Vita 6; Styles 6 (Adeboyejo 61, 6), Palmer 7 (Iseka 71), Gomes 6; Bassi 6, Morris 7, Quina 6.
Subs not used: Moon, Christie-Davies; Odour, Wolfe..
Danny McNamara: Scored his first two goals for Millwall.
Oliver Langford 7.