Emphatic Fulham weather Millwall's early storm to find extra gear in automatic promotion hunt
Something had to give. Eventually, it was Millwall. They lost their 17-match unbeaten run as Fulham extended their own to 22 and climbed back into second place.
Early second-half goals from Ryan Sessegnon and Kevin McDonald helped lift Slavisa Jokanovic’s side two points above Cardiff City, who have two games in hand.
“If I don’t find something more interesting, then maybe I will watch it,” said Jokanovic of Cardiff’s game against Nottingham Forest this evening. “I must be proud. We played brilliantly in the second 45 minutes. In this place, it’s not easy to play football.”
Neil Harris described the achievement of competing at the top end of the division as “a miraculous achievement”, with promotion the talk of both south-east and south-west London before kick-off.
“Tonight’s a great realisation for all of us,” said Harris. “I think the standing ovation from the fans at the end was respectful of our situation. It was a great ‘Millwall’ first 45 minutes. The atmosphere in the stadium … I’m really proud of the club. We’ve been beaten by a good side, no problem.”
A balmy Friday night in London saw one team desperate to get out of the play-offs and the other desperate to stay in them. Millwall are still there, in sixth, but their position is precarious. Their next game is against Middlesbrough, who are above them on goal difference, having played a game less. All eyes will now be on today’s game between Derby and Boro.
This was a clash of cultures on and off the pitch. Easy-on-the-eye Fulham leaving the comfort of their leafy Thameside surroundings to enter the raw intensity of SE1.
A hostile atmosphere became more frenetic after only four minutes, when Jake Cooper thumped a header against the bar from Ben Marshall’s corner with the home side on the offensive.
They thought they had scored when George Saville smashed into the roof of the net, but Jed Wallace was penalised for a foul in the build-up. The decision did not go down well.
Harris had predicted Fulham would face “a cauldron of noise” and he was right. Sessegnon’s every touch was greeted with boos and referee Andre Marriner was scrutinised relentlessly by players from both teams.
Millwall’s muscularity continued to pose problems. Marcus Bettinelli groped unconvincingly at Marshall’s cross and Wallace fired the loose ball at goal, but Tim Ream recovered to clear off the line. An enthralling half ended as Matt Targett shot from distance, this time clipping the top of the bar.
Millwall had edged the first half, but Fulham were ahead within a minute of the second. Jordan Archer made a flapped attempt to push Aleksandar Mitrovic’s low shot to safety, but Sessegnon used his pace to latch on to the rebound and force it home. He is the most prolific teenager in all four divisions; that was his 15th of the season.
“Everything he touches in the box, many times it finishes in the net,” said Jokanovic.
With Fulham in the ascendancy, McDonald’s swerving shot from 25 yards deceived Archer and crashed into the top corner. It was up to Mitrovic to put the gloss on a fine win for Fulham with an emphatic finish into the top corner.
Match details
Millwall (4-4-2): Archer; Romeo (O’Brien 89), Hutchinson, Cooper, Meredith (Cahill 77); Wallace, Williams, Saville, Marshall (Elliott 65); Morison, Gregory.
Subs: Onyedinma, Martin, Tunnicliffe (g), Shackell.
Booked: Hutchinson, Wallace, Gregory.
Fulham (4-3-3): Bettinelli; Fredericks (Christie 90), Odoi, Ream, Targett; Johansen, McDonald, Cairney; Piazon (Kalas 83), Mitrovic, Sessegnon.
Subs: Kebano, Rui Fonte, Norwood, Button (g), Kamara.
Booked: Ream.
Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands).
