Millwall 2-0 Preston North End - Lions see off play-off rivals in battle for top six
- Published
- comments
Millwall striker Tom Bradshaw (right) has 15 goals in 37 league outings for the Lions this season
Play-off challengers Millwall recorded a first win in five games to dent Preston North End's bid for a top six spot in the Championship.
Tom Bradshaw ended the Lions' four-match goal drought to head the south-east London side in front in the opening 15 minutes with his 15th goal of the campaign.
Home goalkeeper George Long made several saves to preserve the lead, including a fine double stop to deny Josh Onomah and Tom Cannon.
Zian Flemming made it 2-0 with 18 minutes remaining when he fired in on the half-volley after Jake Cooper had flicked on Scott Malone's free-kick.
Victory gives fifth-placed Millwall a three-point buffer to seventh-placed Coventry City, who were leapfrogged by Blackburn who drew 0-0 with Hull in Saturday's late kick-off.
Preston had begun the day in seventh, only behind Millwall on goal difference, and had been eyeing a fourth successive win but drop a place to eighth.
The Lilywhites almost took the lead in the first minute when Troy Parrott hammered his shot narrowly over the crossbar from inside the box.
Millwall took the lead with their first goal in 409 minutes when Bradshaw flicked Flemming's inch-perfect cross past Freddie Woodman and into the bottom corner.
North End almost levelled straight away but first Long got down to his left to keep out Onomah's low drive before then denying Cannon on the rebound.
Long also saved with his legs from Andrew Hughes before the break, and had to be alert to come and claim soon after the restart when Daniel Johnson threatened.
The Lions doubled their advantage against the run of play soon after Preston boss Ryan Lowe had made a quadruple substitution, and Malone cleared a Liam Delap shot off the line to prevent the visitors pulling a goal back with 10 minutes left.
With games against relegation-threatened Wigan and Blackpool in their final four games, Millwall are well placed to secure their play-off spot as they aim to end their 33-year exile from the top flight.
Millwall boss Gary Rowett told BBC Radio London:
"It looked like a game where there was a little bit of pressure on it. You turn up feeling like it is a must-win with our recent four games and not getting what we deserved.
"We started quite well and scored a good goal. I thought that might settle us down but it actually probably made us a little bit edgier.
"The rest of the first half was probably the poorest we have moved the ball and we had to keep defending.
"It is a big boost for us as we didn't want to go another game without a win.
"It was really important we got Tom (Bradshaw) and Zian (Flemming) back on the goalscoring sheet. That was probably the biggest thing to come out of the game as well as a clean sheet and a win.
Preston manager Ryan Lowe:
"I'm disappointed in terms of the result. I thought the performance was good.
"I felt we played some fantastic stuff. If we get one, we probably get two.
"I'm disappointed with the two goals. We got undone by not dealing with two balls coming into the box and not being clinical enough in front of goal.
"It was that clinical edge in both boxes. They found two moments, and we didn't."