Millwall 3-4 Blackburn Rovers: Lions denied play-off spot by Rovers comeback

Millwall 3-4 Blackburn Rovers: Lions denied play-off spot by Rovers comeback
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Ben Brereton Diaz had gone eight club games without a goal before his double for Blackburn at The Den

Millwall dropped out of the Championship play-off places after a stunning second-half fightback from Blackburn Rovers saw the visitors come back from two goals down to win 4-3 on a dramatic final day.

Two strikes from Duncan Watmore and an Oliver Burke effort had put the Lions 3-1 ahead at the break after Adam Wharton had earlier equalised for Rovers midway through the half at The Den.

Joe Rankin-Costello pounced on a loose ball in the box to pull one back for Blackburn soon after the restart and Ben Brereton Diaz made it 3-3 in the 63rd minute with a curling shot from 20 yards out.

That sparked a frantic finale as Millwall sought a winner which would salvage a top-six spot, but Blackburn had the better chances.

Brereton Diaz tapped in to round off a counter-attack with just four minutes remaining and cap a remarkable turnaround.

Millwall had started the day in sixth but dropped to eighth as Sunderland moved above the Lions, courtesy of their 3-0 win at Preston, and Blackburn finished seventh on goal difference.

More to follow.

Line-ups

Millwall

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Long

2McNamara4Hutchinson5Cooper17Styles

8Mitchell23Saville

7Burke10Flemming19Watmore

9Bradshaw

1Long2McNamara4Hutchinson5CooperBooked at 64mins17Styles8Mitchell23SavilleSubstituted forBennettat 82'minutes7BurkeSubstituted forBureyat 73'minutes10Flemming19WatmoreSubstituted forMaloneat 73'minutes9BradshawSubstituted forVoglsammerat 82'minutes

Substitutes

6Evans11Malone14Burey16Shackleton20Bennett21Voglsammer33Bialkowski

Blackburn

Formation 4-3-3

13Pears

11Rankin-Costello17Carter5Hyam3Pickering

27Travis36Wharton8Szmodics

14Thomas19Hedges22Brereton

13Pears11Rankin-Costello17Carter5Hyam3Pickering27TravisSubstituted forBrittainat 45'minutes36Wharton8SzmodicsSubstituted forDackat 90+2'minutes14ThomasSubstituted forDolanat 45'minutes19Hedges22BreretonSubstituted forAyalaat 89'minutes

Substitutes

1Kaminski2Brittain4Ayala10Dolan23Dack30Garrett38Leonard

Live Text

Match ends, Millwall 3, Blackburn Rovers 4.

Second Half ends, Millwall 3, Blackburn Rovers 4.

Corner, Millwall. Conceded by Bradley Dack.

Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Bradley Dack replaces Sammie Szmodics.

Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Daniel Ayala replaces Ben Brereton.

Corner, Millwall. Conceded by Hayden Carter.

Goal! Millwall 3, Blackburn Rovers 4. Ben Brereton (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Sammie Szmodics following a fast break.

Attempt saved. Tyler Burey (Millwall) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Zian Flemming.

Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Scott Malone.

Attempt blocked. Tyler Burey (Millwall) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Callum Styles.

Foul by Callum Brittain (Blackburn Rovers).

Tyler Burey (Millwall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Attempt blocked. Scott Malone (Millwall) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Attempt blocked. Mason Bennett (Millwall) header from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Zian Flemming.

Substitution, Millwall. Andreas Voglsammer replaces Tom Bradshaw.

Substitution, Millwall. Mason Bennett replaces George Saville.

Attempt missed. Zian Flemming (Millwall) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by George Saville.

Attempt missed. Zian Flemming (Millwall) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Scott Malone with a cross.

Attempt saved. Callum Brittain (Blackburn Rovers) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Adam Wharton with a cross.

Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Shaun Hutchinson.

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