Jack Smith scored his first goal for Millwall as The Lions cruised past Staines Town with a 4-0 victory in their FA Cup Second Round Replay at The Den.
The visitors, who grabbed a 1-1 draw at home against their League One opponents at Wheatsheaf Park to force a replay, kept Millwall at bay until five minutes before half time when Steve Morison broke the deadlock with a cool finish.
The Lions had dominated the first half against their Conference South opposition and deserved to go in at the break a goal to the good.
That lead was doubled five minutes into the second half when Smith fired through the legs of Staines keeper Louis Wells and Alan Dunne nodded in the decisive third to kill off the game.
Staines offered little threat to the Lions and Danny Schofield rounded off a comfortable night for the home side.
Millwall had boss Kenny Jackett missing through flu and for long periods in the first half, despite controlling possession, looked unsure of how to break down their non-league opponents.
Morison, Lewis Grabban and Chris Hackett all sliced shots wide and Millwall were almost made to pay for their wastefulness.
Ali Chabaan, who netted the equaliser in the first game from the penalty spot, fired a left foot drive at goal, but Lions keeper David Forde comfortably turned his effort round the post on 26 minutes. The home side resumed control after that scare and, after Morison failed to nod Grabban’s pin-point cross in at the back post, the Lions forward was released by Schofield and calmly slotted home the opener on 41 minutes.
Millwall should have been two clear moments later but captain Paul Robinson miscued his shot just three yards from goal as he attempted to turn in the rebound from Lewis Grabbans shot, after Schofield’s clever free-kick had released the pacey forward.
Staines could have levelled on the stroke of half time when Leroy Griffiths’ low cross nearly found Richard Butler in the box. Fortunately for the Lions Andy Frampton was on hand to clear the danger. Millwall started the second half brightly and doubled their advantage on 50 minutes.
Staines winger Howard Newton tried to play his way out of trouble on the edge of his box but Morison dispossessed him before setting up left-back Smith, who blasted through the legs of Wells for Millwall’s second.
Smith, buoyed by that strike, then burst up field two minutes later before playing in Ashley Grimes for a one-on-one opportunity. However, Wells pulled off a sharp save to deny the Lions a third.
Grimes then found Morison with an excellent cross-field pass moments later - but his strike partner could only blaze across the face of the goal as the Lions assumed complete control of the tie.
Simon Jackson gave the travelling fans something to cheer on 68 minutes when his poor cross landed on the top of the Millwall bar, but the Londoners were soon up the other end again with Grimes, Smith and Morison firing straight at Wells.
Schofield was particularly effective for Millwall and, after turning Jackson inside out, the winger blasted an effort at goal which had to be tipped over by Wells.
From the resulting corner Schofield picked out the unmarked Alan Dunne who nodded in a deserved third for the Lions.
However, Forde’s night was not over yet – a physical challenge in the air from Griffiths forced the Lions keeper to spill the ball, but fortunately for the home fans Forde recovered to smother Newton’s follow-up strike.
Grimes was again denied by Wells in the 90th minute and Schofield, who looked certain to score, was kept out by a last-ditch challenge from Danny Gordon.
However, the winger got his reward for a fine performance moments later when Adam Bolder’s quick free-kick put him through on goal and Schofield made no mistake, tucking the ball into the far corner to round off a comfortable night for the Lions.
Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Robinson, Frampton, Smith, Hackett, Laird, Abdou, Schofield, Morison, Grabban. Subs: Sullivan, Ward, Bolder, Grimes, Price, Fuseini, Hughes-Mason. Ashley Grimes on for Hackett 36
Staines: Wells, Jackson, Sterling, Gordon, Ifura, Brown, Newton, Butler, Risbridger, Griffiths, Chaaban. Subs: Courtnage, Scarlett, Thomas, Kamara, Taylor, Ahmad, Onoche.
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