Millwall 2-3 Derby County, Championship: report, ratings and verdict

VS.

Millwall 4-2-3-1

2

3

Derby County 4-2-3-1

Half Time: 1 - 1 The Den ( Attendance: NA )
1 min

Millwall got off to a slow start on the Championship’s return, losing 3-2 to fellow Play-Off chasers Derby County following a superb Louie Sibley hat-trick.

The Lions took the lead against the run of play after fifteen minutes when Matt Smith headed in Shane Ferguson’s cross following an excellent counter-attack.

However, Derby deservedly equalised eleven minutes later after Sibley single-handedly took on Millwall’s defence and smashed his effort into the top left corner.

Millwall’s pressing and all-round game quickened early in the second-half though they struggled to create any clear cut chances with Smith’s lofted effort – which went over – the closest they came.

At the other end, Sibley continued to run the show and linked up well with former Lions man Martyn Waghorn for a one-two before slotting past Bartosz Bialkowski.

And he completed his hat-trick in the 90th minute, scuffing an effort that narrowly evaded Millwall’s Polish shot-stopper.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson did net a very late consolation after Shaun Williams’ header fell kindly to him but it was too little, too late.

Key Points

Check out all the key talking points and reaction from London Football Scene below…

Key Moment

Matt Smith’s missed chance early in the second half eventually proved costly as Derby soon ran away with the game.

Moan of the Match

Millwall’s pressing was very passive and they seemed slow in transition during large periods.

Talking Point

Should Gary Rowett have made substitutions earlier in an effort to change the game?

Man of the Match

Louie Sibley – the youngster took the game by the scruff of the neck and fully deserved his hat-trick.

Tweet of the Match

Referee Watch

Stephen Martin (Staffordshire) –  quick to give harsher fouls against the home side without the fear of a backlash from the crowd.

Atmosphere

Crowd noise being played through the speakers made for a slightly more normal affair although it didn’t always exactly match the flow of the game.

Verdict

Millwall didn’t do enough to win the game and Derby’s class showed while it was obvious the Lions’ crowd makes a huge impact at The Den.

Line Ups

Millwall 4-2-3-1

Bialkowski; Romeo, Hutchinson, Cooper, M. Wallace (Mahoney, 81); Molumby, Woods (Williams, 86); J. Wallace (Skalak, 81), Leonard (Bradshaw, 74), Ferguson; Smith (Bodvarsson, 74)

Subs not used:

Steele, Brown, Muller, Mitchell

Derby County 4-2-3-1

Hamer; Bogle (Davies, 76), Wisdom, Clarke, Forsyth; Rooney (Martin, 85), Bird (Evans, 85); Holmes (Knight, 62), Sibley, Lawrence; Waghorn (Shinnie, 76)

Subs not used:

Roos, Jozefzoon, Lowe, Whittaker

Booked

Waghorn, Sibley

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