Millwall 1 Middlesbrough 0 – Grant Hall own goal earns Lions’ fifth home win of the season

BY ALEX GRACE

Millwall bounced back from their 3-2 defeat at QPR on Wednesday night with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough at The Den.

Grant Hall’s own goal was enough to separate the sides, despite the visitors dominating the second period.

Millwall had the first attempt of the game, Jed Wallace linked up well with Mason Bennett and the latter’s shot was easy for Marcus Bettinelli to save.

Bettinelli got his clearance wrong in the 15th minute but Billy Mitchell’s shot fell at the feet of the Boro keeper.

The first clearcut chance of the game fell to the hosts. Scott Malone fizzed a lovely ball to Bennett, he played a first time throughball into the path of Wallace – he went through one on one but Bettinelli denied him with a really good save.

Gary Rowett’s side would not be denied and a couple of minutes later they were in front. Wallace’s cross into the box was turned in by Grant Hall for an own goal.

Five minutes before the break, Danny McNamara was released by Wallace but his shot crept past the far post.

The visitors started the second half very strongly. Former Millwall man George Saville forced Bart Bialkowksi into his first save of the game on 51 minutes. A couple of minutes later, Bialkowski was called into action again, denying the visitors from a corner, Murray Wallace then made a superb block from Saville as Boro piled on the pressure.

Bialkowski made another super stop on 77 minutes to keep out Paddy McNair. Millwall broke forward from the resulting corner Bodvarsson’s effort saved by Bettinelli from Malone’s cross.

The visitors pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages but Millwall held out for just a fifth win at The Den this season which leaves them inside the Championship’s top 10.