West Ham 2-1 Millwall

Kevin Nolan was dismissed early on for a dangerous two-footed lunge on Jack Smith, but it was the Irons who led at the break thanks to Carlton Cole’s first half stoppage time opener.

Liam Trotter briefly put the Lions back on terms with a well-taken equaliser midway through the second half.

However, the Lions were undone within three minutes as Winston Reid fired home what proved to be the winning goal, despite Millwall keeper David Forde having been fouled by Julien Faubert beforehand.

Manager Kenny Jackett handed a debut to deadline day signing Andy Keogh, who got the nod ahead of Harry Kane, who was on the bench.

There were two other changes to the side beaten 2-0 by Watford on Tuesday, with Alan Dunne and Shane Lowry both back in the starting XI.

Rob Green conceded a corner inside 15 seconds after pushing behind Darius Henderson’s deflected shot and Dunne’s header from Scott Barron’s corner wasn’t a million miles away from giving the Lions an early lead.

Cole’s header from Jack Collison’s third minute corner ended up on the roof of Forde’s net, while Smith saw an ambitious 35 yard volley go well wide of the target at the other end.

Forde made a comfortable save from Julien Faubert and Lowry’s shot from a corner was blocked before Green gathered as both sides continued to create chances in the early exchanges.

But the big talking point came in the ninth minute when Nolan went in for a 50-50 challenge on Smith two-footed and with his studs showing, prompting referee Mike Jones to brandish a straight red card and reduce the Irons to 10-men.

Joey O’Brien cleverly got in before Liam Feeney to prevent the Millwall play connecting with Dunne’s delivery.

Forde made an easy stop from James Tomkins’ header and Green had to get down low to keep out Feeney’s 26th minute drive from just outside of the area.

And the Irons stopper did well to come out and just deny Henderson getting on the end of a pass into the box following an excellent counter attack by the visitors.

O’Brien fired over moments later with a powerful shot and Faubert placed a shot wide after connecting with George McCartney’s 35th minute cross from the left.

Jackett then changed his formation to 4-4-2 as Keogh came in from the right to partner Henderson up front, clearly an attempt to make the extra man count.

Cole did well to chest down the ball five minutes before the break and line up a shot, although he dragged his effort wide.

But despite their numerical advantage, it was Millwall who fell behind in first half stoppage time after the hosts were awarded a free-kick just inside the Lions’ half following a foul by Darren Ward on Cole.

Mark Noble’s free-kick into the danger zone was flicked on by Winston Reid and headed home by Cole to put the Irons in front with what was virtually the last piece of action in the first half.

Matt Taylor came on for Collison at the start of the second half.

Henderson picked up a 49th minute yellow card after raising his arm while challenging for a header with Reid.

And Millwall had a very lucky escape moments later when McCartney’s dangerous cross was headed onto the bar by Faubert with Forde beaten.

Jackett made his first change by replacing Barron with Kane on 57 minutes and the Lions were unfortunate on the hour when Feeney’s cross beat Green but just failed to find Henderson at the back post.

Tomkins made a crucial clearance to prevent Kane connecting with Keogh’s delivery but the visiting fans didn’t have to wait long to celebrate an equaliser, which came in the 66th minute.

Henderson played a pass back to Trotter, who smashed a volley home from just inside of the 18-yard box to stun the home supporters into silence.

But it was a silence which was to prove short lived as West Ham restored their advantage three minutes later.

Tomkins’ header from Taylor’s corner was hacked off the line by Kane but his clearance was whipped back into the box by O’Brien and although Forde punched the ball clear it only went as far as Reid, whose first-time volley flew into the net.

Forde appeared to have been clattered into by Faubert after punching clear but the referee either ignored or failed to see what looked to be a clear foul and the goal stood.

Dunne’s stunning 35 yard drive flew just wide of the post with green at full stretch on 77 minutes.

Faubert smashed a shot high and over seconds before he made way for Gary O’Neill, with Mason introduced for Feeney at the same time.

Millwall were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position 25 yards from goal but Kane’s effort was never going to trouble Green as it sailed harmlessly wide.

Dunne came much closer in the 85th minute when his angled shot from inside the box was saved by the Hammers keeper.

The Lions were awarded a couple of corners which came to nothing before five minutes of stoppage time were signalled.

Even Forde came forward for a 95th minute corner but West Ham cleared comfortably to claim all three points.

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Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Ward, Lowry, Smith, Feeney (Mason 81), Abdou, Trotter, Barron (Kane 57), Henderson, Keogh. Subs not used: Allsop, N’Guessan, Wright. Att: 27,774.