Millwall 2-1 Hull City: Lions close in on play-offs with victory at the Den
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Tom Bradshaw scored his ninth goal of the season for Millwall
Millwall moved to within a point of a Championship play-off place with a 2-1 win against Hull City at the Den.
Quick-fire goals from Scott Malone and Tom Bradshaw near the start of the second half gave the Lions just their second win in six games and keeps their promotion dream alive.
The home side came out all guns blazing after an uneventful first half and took the lead through a bizarre deflection, with Malone's block from outside the area going all the way in past Nathan Baxter in the Hull net.
Bradshaw scored his ninth goal of the season before Tom Eaves' late reply set up a tense finish to the match, but the home side held on to within a point of six-placed Sheffield United - who drew at Bristol City.
A Benik Afobe volley was well saved by Baxter early in the second half, while the score was goalless.
Hull then hit the post from a goalmouth scramble but were behind before they knew it, as Murray Wallace drove forward for the hosts.
His cross-field pass found Malone, whose first touch was closed down and the clearance deflected off Malone and went all the way in from the edge of the area.
The hosts doubled their lead within four minutes when Afobe headed a long ball forward into the path of his strike partner Tom Bradshaw, who calmly slotted home as Millwall took control of the game.
Tyler Burey hit the crossbar as the hosts looked to make the points safe.
Hull had threatened from corners and halved the deficit with three minutes left, Eaves latching on to Keane Lewis-Potter's mishit shot and slotting into the bottom corner.
The defeat leaves Hull 19th in the table, with 47 points.
Millwall boss Gary Rowett told BBC Radio London:
"Hull don't open a lot of space up so we wanted to go forward and be a little bit more direct in the early stages of the game. We were too predictable.
"At half-time we settled down a bit. In the second half there was a bit more zip about us.
"A massive slice of luck [for the first goal] obviously helps. It was most welcome because we haven't been a particularly lucky team this season."
On injuries: "Jed [Wallace, who missed the game through injury] will have a scan tomorrow, it's hard to tell [how serious the injury is].
"If a scan shows anything I think that's more or less going to rule him out for a few games.
"Scotty [Malone, who went off injured] I think has done his hamstring."
Hull City boss Shota Arveladze told BBC Radio Humberside: "[It was a] different first half and second half.
"A little bit I think we lost in the physical and that cost us the game.
"I cannot blame the boys, they're giving every little bit [on the pitch]."