Millwall picked up only their second league success of the season with a convincing victory over Huddersfield Town.
The Lions were desperate to bounce back from last week’s humiliating defeat at Gillingham and made the perfect start by racing 2-0 ahead inside the opening 14 minutes through Chris Hackett and Neil Harris.
Steve Morison added a third early in the second half and even though Jordan Rhodes pulled one back late on, this was definitely a day to forget for the visitors.
Hackett tested Huddersfield keeper Alex Smithies with a rasping volley from 25-yards within 15 seconds and only a crucial block from a visiting defender blocked Jimmy Abdou’s shot moments later as Millwall began positively.
The Lions came close again in the third minute when Hackett played in Harris, who in turn released Andy Frampton, but his shot was deflected behind by Robbie Simpson for a corner.
Hackett blazed across the face of goal after being picked out by Dave Martin’s long punt forward but he made amends in the 13th minute by putting the Lions in front.
Harris turned provider by putting in a low pass which sent Hackett clean through and the Millwall midfielder struck a low shot beyond Smithies from just outside of the area.
The advantage was doubled within 60 seconds as Harris stole in at the near post to head home Martin’s cross to make it 2-0, a score which certainly wasn’t flattering with barely a quarter of an hour gone.
If Huddersfield’s visiting fans were expecting some kind of immediate fight back, they were to be extremely disappointed.
Millwall were understandably happy to sit back on their two-goal cushion after last weekend’s woeful display at Gillingham, so it possibly wasn’t too surprising the contest fell decidedly flat.
In fact, there were wasn’t one single attempt on target for the remainder of the first half as the game became bogged down by mistimed passes and tackles, although admittedly the blazing sun and heat didn’t exactly help the players of either side.
The outcome was put beyond all doubt five minutes into the second period when Millwall added a third.
Hackett’s free-kick into the danger zone was headed behind by Joe Skarz under pressure from Harris, but Hackett’s corner was headed home by Morison for the striker’s first Lions goal since his summer move from non-league Stevenage.
Alan Dunne was booked moments later for a challenge which left Simpson on the deck and Michael Collins saw a 55th minute drive blocked by Abdou in a rare Huddersfield attack.
But they came close to grabbing something on 62 minutes when Lions keeper David Forde was forced to make a stunning one-handed stop to deny Rhodes.
At the other end, Smithies made a slightly more comfortable save from Morison’s close range header before the striker was replaced by James Henry with 20 minutes left.
Rhodes fired home a consolation for the visitors four minutes from time with a sweetly-struck shot from 18-yards but there was never really any chance of a recovery and the hosts ran down the clock to seal a deserved success.
Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Smith, Ward, Frampton, Hackett (Laird 89), Fuseini, Abdou, Martin (Schofield 80), Harris, Morrison (Henry 70). Subs not used: Sullivan, Bolder, Grabban, Barron. Att: 8,502.
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