Millwall 2-0 Bristol Rovers

Steve Morison’s 62nd minute opener was added to deep in stoppage time by Pat Baldwin’s own goal to give the Lions their eighth home success of the campaign.

Dave Martin and Jack Smith returned to the starting XI after missing Boxing Day’s 2-0 defeat at Norwich through suspension, with Chris Hackett also back in the team after only being a substitute in East Anglia.

Danny Schofield, Ali Fuseini and Lewis Grabban were the trio to make way, although all three did at least earn a place on the bench.

Morison had the first change in the opening two minutes with a well-struck volley which was fired straight into the hands of Rovers keeper Mikkel Andersen.

Rovers should have taken the lead on 17 minutes when Ben Swallow found Chris Lines who in turn picked out Jo Kuffour.

Kaffour ran into the area and unleashed a low shot which beat David Forde, although it came back off the post before finally being scrambled away.

And the visitors came agonisingly close again four minutes later, only to be denied yet again by the woodwork, although this time it was the bar which was hit by Lines’ 25-yard free-kick.

Chris Hackett should have done better when he got on the end of Dave Martin’s 27th minute cross, but his touch wasn’t the greatest and he fired over the bar.

Morison saw a low shot sail wide on the half hour but at least the signs were positive for the Lions after a tricky start in which they could very easily have been 2-0 down But they had another lucky escape when Jason Price failed to clear the danger inside his own box, enabling Kuffour to get a cross in which Forde had to deal with.

The keeper and striker had words afterwards but Price was involved at the right end moments later when he found Smith, but his cross was headed off target by Marc Laird.

Paul Robinson fired straight at Andersen’s legs after connecting with Martin’s free-kick into the danger zone, while Kuffour saw a shot on the turn go wide as the game remained end to end.

Carl Regan cleared at the second attempt from Hackett’s free-kick into a packed penalty area, but the resultant corner was wasted when Morison blazed over from 10 yards.

Kenny Jackett made a change at half-time, bringing on Grabban for the ineffectual Price.

Hackett and Smith played a neat one-two four minutes after the break, but Hackett went to ground inside of the box instead of pulling the trigger.

On 53 minutes, Hackett’s free-kick was headed straight at Andersen by Robinson, although a Milwall player went to ground under pressure from two Rovers defenders, prompting calls for a penalty from the home fans behind the goal.

Kuffour found Andy Williams out wide on the right and his low cross across the face of goal just failed to meet the boot of Swallow, much to Millwall’s relief.

Grabban and Abdou then both had long range efforts sail wide in quick succession, while Williams’ hopeful attempt at the other end failed to trouble Forde.

But the deadlock was eventually broken on 62 minutes when a delightful cross-field pass from Martin picked out Morison.

The striker outmuscled Danny Coles before cleverly firing over Andersen for his sixth goal in five games.

A decent passing move by Bristol Rovers 10 minutes later ended with a poor finish as Mark Wright opted to try his luck from 25 yards with a shot which was always going over.

Martin should have done better when he was completely unmarked just inside the box before shooting wide and then Grabban was unfortunate not to get on the end of Morison’s cross as the Lions went in search of a second.

Williams had a shot from just inside the left of the area with 10 minutes left, but Morison missed a glorious opportunity for the Lions when a poor first touch from Martin’s delivery saw the chance go begging.

Robinson headed over another Hackett free-kick and Grabban fired straight at Andersen from six-yards.

Kuffour should have done better with an 88th minute long range drive which was nearer to row Z of the stand than Forde’s goal.

Bristol Rovers came close to drawing level in the first minute of stoppage time when Williams was denied by Forde and then Robinson got a crucial touch to Wright’s attempt from the rebound Lines headed straight at Forde from Williams’ cross.

But Millwall immediately went up the other end and added a second as Morison’s low shot was saved by the keeper and the unfortunate Baldwin placed the rebound into his own net.

Millwall: Forde, Smith, Robinson, Craig, Frampton, Hackett, Abdou, Laird (Bolder 89), Martin (Schofield 81), Morison, Price (Grabban 46). Subs not used: Sullivan, Barron, Ward, Fuseini. Att: 10,014.