Millwall vs Luton Town. Sky Bet Championship.
The DenAttendance12,134.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash at The Den
Wednesday 1 January 2020 17:45, UK
Millwall enjoyed the perfect start to the new year by coming from a goal down to beat Luton 3-1 and boost their play-off chances.
Luton took the lead just before half-time when Sonny Bradley punished slack marking inside the Millwall penalty area to head in unchallenged from Alan Sheehan's free-kick.
The home side were much improved after the break, though, and levelled through Tom Bradshaw's close-range header on 69 minutes, before Connor Mahoney put them in front with a fine solo goal (78).
Matt Smith then made it three Millwall goals in 12 minutes when he headed in Mahoney's cross at the back post to secure a well-deserved three points for Gary Rowett's side.
Graeme Jones showed in-form Millwall plenty of respect by emulating their 5-2-3 formation at kick-off and it paid off as Luton deservedly took the lead through Bradley's unmarked header after 41 minutes.
Immediately after Luton had taken the lead, Rowett opted to change his formation to a 4-2-3-1 by bringing on a striker for a defender, with Bradshaw replacing Alex Pearce, and it proved to be an inspired move.
Smith, who dominated his aerial duels against Luton's defenders all afternoon, almost drew Millwall level on the hour mark when he headed against the crossbar, before he and Jake Cooper made a mess of converting an open goal at the far post moments later.
Eventually, Millwall levelled with a well-worked move on the right-wing. Wallace's deep cross to the far post was met by Smith, who cushioned a header into the path of Bradshaw to nod in from inside the six-yard box.
Rowett turned to his bench again straight after that goal by introducing Mahoney for Aiden O'Brien and the winger did not take long to fire his side in front, unleashing an unstoppable low shot into the corner after being picked out by Wallace's cross-field pass.
Just three minutes later, Millwall scored their third through the tireless Smith who was on hand to apply the finishing touches to a pinpoint delivery from Mahoney on the left wing.
Millwall's Gary Rowett: "I just felt Connor might give us a moment of magic because he's got that quality. It was a fabulous run from him. He fakes to shoot, the defender slides in and it just opens the space up momentarily. Then we could put the foot on the gas, another fabulous ball in from Connor and Smith doesn't miss from there, it's why he's in the team.
"I said to them at half-time, 'you're a goal down, you've performed poorly, I don't really care about the result, I just want to see a better performance and be braver, play with more quality'. I thought we started the second half with a much better intensity, pinned them in and put them under pressure. And when you're in the position Luton are in, if we could get the first goal in the second half, we knew we'd go on and win the game."
Luton's Graeme Jones: "The game plan worked really, really well, but we couldn't sustain it. It's been the story of our away season, since (victory at) Blackburn. We've found it difficult. I could talk about the positives, but I don't think anyone wants to hear that. It was a resolute display, for 70 minutes.
"But we couldn't hold out, and that's what disappoints me. For large periods I was delighted but we couldn't see it out. The linesman's flag goes at 1-0 up, but the referee plays advantage and the wrong thing from our players is not playing to the whistle.
Smith was an absolute colossus in attack for Millwall, winning a mammoth 12 aerial duels throughout the 90 minutes and the big target man thoroughly deserved his late goal.
However, the star of the show was Jed Wallace who continued his fine form this season with an inspired performance. It was he who drove Millwall on in the second half, playing a key role in their first and second goals.
Wallace's assist for Mahoney means he has had a hand in 16 Championship goals this season (nine goals, seven assists) and Millwall will be desperate to keep him beyond the end of the transfer window.
Both teams are in FA Cup action next weekend with Millwall hosting League Two side Newport County and Luton Town travelling to the Vitality Stadium to face Bournemouth.
