Millwall 4-1 Huddersfield: Lions finish eighth in Championship
- Published
Jake Cooper rose high to head in Millwall's second goal
Millwall comfortably brushed aside managerless Huddersfield Town to finish the Championship season with victory at The Den.
Connor Mahoney gave Millwall the lead inside the first five minutes with a cool left-footed finish but Karlan Grant levelled before half-time with a fine finish from Alex Pritchard's through ball.
Jake Cooper headed the Lions back ahead soon after the break before Jiri Skalak pounced to extend the advantage.
Jon Dadi Bodvarsson worked on to a clever pass from Mahoney in the box to wrap up a thumping win for the Lions.
The result means Millwall finish eighth, two points outside the play-offs, having been 17th when manager Gary Rowett was appointed in October.
Huddersfield have struggled in their first season back in the Championship after relegation from the Premier League, but their place in the second tier was already secured ahead of kick-off.
The defeat ended a run of three away games without conceding, however, as the Terriers finished the season in 18th.
It was a comfortable 90 minutes for Milllwall with Skalak ensuring victory when he quickly worked onto a loose ball from a Richard Stearman defensive error to cooly finish past Terriers keeper Joel Coleman.
Post Cowley era ends in defeat
The Terriers came into the game off the back of the sacking of manager Danny Cowley, who was dismissed on Sunday following 10 months in charge.
Huddersfield had been 23rd when Cowley arrived after they failed to win their first six matches on their return to the second tier.
His final game saw them beat second-placed West Bromwich Albion - a victory which ensured their survival and took the pressure off a frantic final day at the bottom of the table.
Their start to life without Cowley began poorly when Mahoney found the net in impressive style in the opening stages.
Grant's 19th goal of the season gave the visitors hope of a fightback, but there was little of the resilience from Friday's win against the Baggies as Huddersfield capitulated soon after.
Match reaction
Millwall manager Gary Rowett: "We like to raise the bar quite high and I think we have been good since we came in.
"The players have been very diligent, played in different formations and there was another change tonight and they have gone about it the right way.
"I think the form has been top six since we came in and that is important. We've shown we can challenge, shown we can play to a really high level.
"What we need to do now is work incredibly hard to strengthen in the right areas and do the same next season or a little bit more."
Huddersfield Town interim boss Danny Schofield: "I don't know what's going to happen in the next few days. I don't know if anyone has been appointed.
"I think the players will want to get off and reflect and recover. They have put in a lot of effort and it is probably time to come away from football a little and watch Netflix and do what they do.
"Obviously the dressing room is flat after a 4-1 defeat, but there were some positives to take with the performances of some of the young players."