Two goals from the stand in Captain Liam Trotter inspired Millwall to 3-2 victory over fellow Championship strugglers Doncaster.
An entertaining match saw both sides defensive frailties exposed as the game could’ve finished any score.
Trotter opened the scoring from the penalty spot after the youngster John Marquis was felled, only for Doncaster’s prolific striker Billy Sharp to level from another spot kick on 40 minutes. Doncaster however failed to reach the interval level as Trotter scored to make it 2-1 just before half-time, with Carl Ikeme in the Doncaster goal at fault.
Substitute Darius Henderson headed a third from a free-kick with just eight minutes remaining only for Sharp to get his second of the game with a back post header; but Millwall held on and moved up three places in a tight bottom half of the Championship table.
On the back of a good point away to Crystal Palace, Millwall started the stronger with the impressive Marquis causing the experienced Habib Beye problems in the first half. And the first real talking point occurred between these two as Beye appeared to hit out at Marquis, yet despite seeing the incident Andy D’Urso only cautioned the Senegalese defender.
Millwall deservedly opened the scoring after Marquis went over a Hertia Ilunga tackle in the box. The resulting penalty was a confident one from Trotter who gave Ikeme little chance.
Despite dominating the match, Millwall threw Doncaster the chance to level the game up on forty minutes as Sharp won and converted a penalty; smashing the spot-kick down the middle to bring the scores level at 1-1.
Ikeme, who was on loan at Middlesbrough earlier in the season, gifted Millwall their advantage back just three minutes later as he allowed Trotter’s tame effort to go under his body.
Doncaster felt they should’ve had a second penalty on the stroke of half-time; however Dean Saunders was left frustrated after the apparent foul on Giles Barnes wasn’t given.
The second half saw an open game as both sides were guilty of missing chances. Firstly Shane Lowry missed the chance to extend the Lions’ lead as he hit a post; before Marc Antoine Fortune saw his goal bound effort well blocked.
Millwall manager Kenny Jackett brought on both Hamir Bouazza and Henderson in an attempt to kill Doncaster off. And the attacking changes paid dividends as the latter headed home expertly from a free-kick to make it 3-1.
Doncaster’s sub of their own got his side back into the match as Kyle Bennett did superbly to glide past two Millwall defenders, before finding Sharp at the back post to half the deficit margin.
Bouazza missed a great chance to make it four late on; however it mattered not as Millwall ended a run of three games without a win.
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