A CAGEY affair in South London this early afternoon as both sides shared the points and ended the day still sitting in the play-off places heading into the November international break.
It was a game defined by mistakes rather than moments of brilliance, with both goals coming from defensive errors that ultimately cancelled each other out.
Preston North End took the lead inside 15 minutes after a mix-up at the back from the home side. Millwall failed to clear their lines and Michael Smith was quickest to react, calmly lifting the ball over Max Crocombe to make it 1-0 to the visitors.
But the lead wouldn’t last. In the 35th minute, a costly lapse in concentration from Daniel Iversen handed Millwall their equaliser. A simple pass back to the Danish goalkeeper went horribly wrong as he misjudged the bounce, allowing Mihalo Ivanovic to pounce and slot into an empty net. A rare mistake from the usually reliable stopper and one that proved decisive in the outcome.
Paul Heckingbottom made three changes to the side that beat Swansea at Deepdale on Wednesday night. Jamal Lewis came in for Thierry Small, Stefan Thordarson replaced Alfie Devine, and Mads Frøkjær returned to the starting XI in place of Lewis Dobbin. There had been hopes that Daniel Jebbison and Pol Valentín would be fit in time, but both missed out once again. milutin osmajić also misses out due to his recent ban.
The first half saw the home side with most of the ball and the better chances. Camiel Neghli had a sight of goal but blazed over after a cross caused chaos in the Preston box, before Mazou-Sacko came close to scoring his first for the Lions with a well-struck effort that was smartly saved by Iversen.
Before Millwall’s equaliser, Ballo also tested the Preston keeper with a low drive after good control in the box, while a poor pass from Storey gifted Ivanovic another half-chance that went begging a real let-off for the visitors.
The second half continued in much the same fashion — tight, scrappy, and hard-fought. Preston had a few half-chances through Smith and Dobbin, while Millwall’s Cooper and Bangura went close late on. Both sides pushed for a winner, but neither could find the finishing touch as the game petered out to a 1-1 draw.
A frustrating result for both managers, but perhaps a fair one on balance. The draw keeps Millwall in 6th place and Preston in 4th as both teams turn their focus to the international break and the busy run of fixtures to come.
Next up: Both sides have a few weeks off now with both managers hoping to have a more fit squad after the international break. Next up for Millwall a trip to the south coast to play strugglers Portsmouth on November 22nd. Lions will be without Captain Cooper after his card today. As for the Lilywhites they kick the Sky Bet Championship back off with a local Derby Against Blackburn on Friday the 21st.
Millwall: 1. Crocombe (GK) 3. Sturge 4. Crama 5. Cooper (C ) 6. Taylor 7. Ballo (Haring 89’) 9. Ivanovic (Cundle 89’) 10. Neghli (Langstaff 74’) 22. Emakhu (Bangura-Williams 82’) 24. De Norre 49. Mazou-Sacko (Kelly 90’) (Formation 4-2-3-1)
Subs: Coleman, Kerry, Langstaff, Byran, Cundle , Grant, Matthews, Bangura-Williams, Harding
Bookings: Zak Sturge 17’, Jake Cooper 69’
Goals: Ivanovic 35’.
Manager: Alex Neil
Preston North End
1.Iversen (GK), 4. Whiteman (C), 5. Armstrong, 6. Lindsay, 10. Frokjaer (Dobbin 58’), 14. storey, 16. Hughes, 18. Lewis (Small 57’), 22. Thordarson (Devine 70’), 24. Smith, 42. Offiah (Formation 3-5-1-1)
Subs: Walton, Cornell, Nolan, Thompson,Mawene,Wilson,Small,Devine, Dobbin.
Bookings: Ben Whiteman 21’, Liam Lindsay 87’.
Goals: Smith 15’
Manager: Paul Heckingbottom
Referee: Stephen Martin
Venue: The Den
Attendance: 15, 788 (Including 1,190 away fans)
