Football | Burnley 3 - 1 Millwall

Millwall miss out the play-offs despite a spirited display

They were beaten at Turf Moor against the newly promoted side,  despite taking an early lead through Mihailo Ivanovic.

Author - Mark Lee

The Serbian forward gave the visitors the perfect start, converting George Honeyman’s low cross to notch his 13th goal of the season. But their advantage was short-lived, as Josh Brownhill levelled just two minutes later following a scramble in the penalty area.

Jaidon Anthony struck midway through the second half to give Burnley the lead, before Brownhill sealed the win with a late free-kick, condemning Alex Neil’s side to defeat despite a determined performance.

A closer look at what happened in Lancashire

Neil made a single change to his starting line-up, with Honeyman coming in for Luke Cundle, who dropped to the bench.

Millwall began brightly and threatened early on through Femi Azeez and Josh Coburn, but Burnley’s back line held firm. The home side gradually grew into the contest, with Marcus Edwards lively in the opening exchanges, but the visitors struck first through Ivanovic after a sharp break down the right.

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Burnley hit back immediately as Brownhill pounced on a loose ball to fire past George Evans in the Millwall goal. The visitors, however, remained positive, with Ivanovic nearly doubling his tally moments later, only for his first touch to let him down.

Jake Cooper was alert to deny Anthony on the line as Burnley pressed for a second, while Evans was called into action to tip a Brownhill effort over the bar. At the other end, Coburn came close to restoring the lead for Millwall, but his close-range shot came back off the post after good work by Tristan Crama.

Millwall started the second half with purpose, Azeez seeing a deflected shot go behind for a corner before Cooper blocked well from Hannibal. Evans was again impressive, denying Anthony at point-blank range and smothering at the feet of the forward shortly after.

Azeez then tested James Trafford as the contest opened up, while Zak Sturge made a vital intervention to block Edwards from close range. Burnley’s pressure told on 66 minutes, when Anthony shrugged off Crama and slotted home Burnley’s second.

Millwall refused to fold. Cooper blocked another Brownhill effort, while Trafford was forced into action at the other end to deal with Azeez’s speculative drive. Late changes saw Macaulay Langstaff thrown on in search of an equaliser, but Brownhill’s late free-kick ended any hopes of a comeback.

Millwall left Lancashire empty-handed and are perhaps ruing some dropped points that cost them a place in the play-offs. Onwards to next season.