The 2020/21 season was well and truly wrapped up for the Lions as they were brushed aside by play-off favourites Bournemouth.

Rowett’s side came into the game with little to play for and were second best in every department against a Bournemouth side who strengthened their case for promotion with a seventh consecutive league win.

Millwall never got close to the Cherries, who threatened from the first minute. Arnaut Danjuma saw an effort ruled out for offside only 10 minutes in; a sign of things to come.

Phillip Billing opened the scoring after a combination of errors from Alex Pearce and George Evans allowed Dominic Solanke lose. The striker fed the Dane, who finished calmy.

Danjuma doubled the lead, after he was well found by Asmir Begovic. The ‘keeper’s long ball found the Dutchman in space on the counter, and he managed to avoid the covering Pearce to poke past Bialkwoski.

Millwall were struggling to get close to Jonathan Woodgate’s side, who wrapped the game up before half time. David Brooks, who had been a livewire all half, cut inside from the right hand side before reversing his finish into the bottom corner.

There was fleeting hope of a comeback, when Jed Wallace pulled one back early in the second half. Wallace latched onto Steve Cook’s miscued clearance to turn and finish smartly on 49 minutes.

However, that fightback was short lived and Bournemouth added a fourth on 67 minutes. Billing and Solanke linked up well on the edge of the box, their one touch passing opened up the Millwall backline and Solanke passed the ball into the bottom right corner.

Bournemouth could, and should, have added more, while Millwall offered very little threat as the game petered out.

One would suspect the Millwall players have one eye on their summer holidays at the end of a long, tiring season but they were well beaten by a side who look destined for a return to the Premier League and played some fantastic football in the final third.

 

Teams:

Millwall: Bialkowski; McNamara, Evans, Pearce (Mahoney, 46), Cooper, Malone; Kieftenbeld, Woods (Wlliams, 78), Mitchell; Zohore (Bradshaw, 78), Wallace (Burey, 78)

Subs: Fielding, Bennett, Bodvarsson, Muller, Romeo

Booked: Cooper, McNamara

Bournemouth: Begovic; Stacey (Smith), Carter-Vickers, Cook, Kelly (Rice, 40); Pearson (Wilshire), Lerma; Brooks, Blling, Danjuma (Stanislas, 68); Solanke (Surridge, 68)

Subs: Travers, Anthony, Mepham, Riquelme

Booked: Billing