Lions’ Matt monsters it
MATT SMITH climbed off the bench and then all over Naby Sarr to give Millwall a last-gasp victory.
Smith monstered his marker at the far post to head home Jed Wallace’s injury-time corner.
Sarr was left in a heap but there was no sympathy from his Addicks boss Lee Bowyer, or Millwall chief Gary Rowett, who agreed Smith wanted the ball more.
It came at the end of a full-blooded south London derby which saw Shaun Hutchinson head the hosts in front after six minutes.
Jonathan Leko levelled but Smith had been on for just under six minutes when he made it two home wins out of two for new boss Rowett.
Jubilant Lions fans blasted the away end with a chorus of “You never beat Millwall” – the last time they did was in 1996.
Rowett said: “Everyone kept saying it is 23 years since Charlton beat us and I didn’t want to be the manager who lost.
“It was almost like the last throw of the dice putting Matt on. It was a fantastic header. I think he is the best in the division in those areas.”
Millwall’s intense start was rewarded when Shaun Williamson’s inswinging free-kick found Hutchinson unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box.
Charlton keeper Dillon Phillips then did well to get down at his near post to keep out Mahlon Romeo’s fierce drive.
But it took a blunder and wonder save from Lions stopper Bartosz Bialkowski to keep the hosts ahead.
First Josh Cullen’s 38thminute shot come off his wrist, hit the bar and bounced on the line, but Bialkowski produced a stunning reaction save to tip over Macauley Bonne’s volley.
The Ipswich loanee tipped over a Darren Pratley effort early in the second half, but, from the resulting corner, Leko volleyed into the far corner from the right edge of the six-yard box.
It looked Charlton’s game to win and Bowyer could not believe that not only did they fail to end their Millwall hoodoo, but lost to Smith’s header.
He said: “To come away with nothing is ridiculous.
“Once we equalised I thought we were going to win the game but we stopped passing the ball.
“I don’t think the winner was a foul. I just think he was more hungry.”
MILLWALL CHARLTON 5 .........Shots on Target .........5 1 ......... Shots off Target..........1 8 ................ Corners ................ 3 14 .................. Fouls ................. 13 2 ................ Offsides ................ 2 68.7.. Passing Success % .. 76.1 291 ........ Total Passes ....... 436 41.3 ..... Possession %..... 58.7 66.4 . Territorial Adv % . 33.6