Millwall and Luton play out goalless draw

Posted Friday, April 07, 2023 by PA

Luton held Millwall to a frustrating 0-0 draw at The Den to preserve a six-point gap between the sides and consolidate their Championship play-off hopes.

In the battle of direct styles it was a game of few chances, the best of which fell to Millwall’s Andreas Voglsammer in the second half but he failed to get a shot away from close range.

Luton grew into the contest but mustered just two shots on the target, both of which came late in the second period and were well dealt with by George Long.

The Lions have now failed to win in each of their last three games and will be looking nervously over their shoulder as the run in hots up, while Luton look a shoe-in for the top six.

In sun-kissed south London it was the hosts who started brightest, fashioning the first chance of the afternoon inside two minutes.

Zian Flemming’s looped pass found Oliver Burke but the winger fluffed his lines with the goal at his mercy.

Top scorer Tom Bradshaw was the next to be played through but his shot from an acute angle was well dealt with by Ethan Horvath.

It took until the half-hour mark for Luton to worry keeper Long for the first time, with Elijah Adebayo’s header back across goal evading those in white before George Saville hooked clear.

With the ball not dropping for the home side, their supporters directed much of their ire at referee Darren England.

Their exasperation reached new heights when the man in the middle showed midfielder Saville the first yellow card of the afternoon – which somehow arrived as late as the 41st minute – after a rash challenge on Allan Campbell.

A set-piece just shy of the hour offered Millwall a way into the 18-yard box and a floated ball in found Murray Wallace but his looping header floated over Horvath’s bar.

Moments later winger Voglsammer battled hard to find a way through but he was unable to get a shot away as Long mopped swept up again.

Campbell was then carded for a late lunge on Saville just outside the Luton box and was relieved to see Voglsammer’s curling effort land just wide of Horvath’s post.

Long was a bystander for much of the afternoon but was called into action in a quick succession as Luton looked to steal the points.

Carlton Morris went close with a snap volley before Alfie Doughty wrapped his foot around one which forced the Lions stopper into a smart, low save.

There was one last pang of frustration from the Millwall faithful as Jake Cooper’s penalty appeal was turned away in stoppage time, leaving this one all square for the third game in succession.