REPORT: Millwall 2-2 Hull City - Southwark News (2024)

MILLWALL and Hull played out a pulsating 2-2 draw at The Den in a match that saw both teams come from behind.

The hosts, who had lost six of their previous eight home games, took the lead thanks to Duncan Watmore before the Tigers flipped the match on its head with two goals in five minutes from Jaden Philogene and Adama Traore.

But Millwall fought back in the second half and equalised thanks to a fantastic goal from Joe Bryan, his first for the club, marking the first time this season they had come from behind to avoid defeat this season.

On too many occasions this season away sides have been allowed to show their quality and put goals past the meek Lions.

But that was not the case today in a breathless match that saw both sides score at The Den for the first time since the infamous Blackburn Rovers clash last May. And there really should have been a fifth goal right at the end but Aidomo Emakhu missed a huge chance to cap the drama in south-east London.

It’s ironic in some ways that it would be Bryan – with a free-kick leading to the opening goal and the equaliser – would prove to have his most influential game today.

Injuries and the form of Ryan Longman had seen him spend more time than he would like on the bench but, with Longman not able to play against his parent club, Bryan started in back-to-back games for the first time since August.

His curling delivery from a free-kick from out wide caused chaos inside the Hull box with the ball eventually dropping loose to Duncan Watmore to slam home from close range after eight minutes.

The 29-year-old, who assisted Zian Flemming’s opener at Plymouth Argyle on Tuesday, appeared to hurt himself initially after hitting the advertising hoardings but proved to be fit enough to continue.

That was good news as a few minutes later he almost set up a goal. From inside the box he slipped it into the onrushing Allan Campbell who hesitated before slashing an effort against the side-netting. Fans in the Barry Kitchener Stand briefly thought he had scored.

It set into motion a frantic and frenzied first half that was initially in Millwall’s control before Hull suddenly took command and played the Lions off the park.

The issue before today had been Millwall’s inconsistency from game to game. The first half was more of a case of inconsistency within a 45-minute block that saw the atmosphere in the Den go from joyous to toxic in less than half an hour.

Hull, who had been slow and laboured in possession, woke up. A moment of quality started it all off as defender Sean McLoughlin lofted a beautiful pass over the Millwall back four and Philogene sprung past Danny McNamara and Wes Harding. He calmly took the ball into the box and tucked it past Bartosz Bialkowski.

Things would get worse just five minutes and this one was entirely self-inflicted. McNamara misjudged a header back to the keeper and left his team exposed. Philogene sped onto the ball on the edge of the six-yard box and put it back inside for the unmarked Traore to tap home.

Hull could have had another before half time with Scott Twine growing into this game, while Zian Flemming had a chance to equalise right at the end of the half but rapped an effort from the edge of the box well wide.

The evidence from previous games at The Den this season suggest that when Millwall go behind, the pressure from a demanding crowd gets too much and they fold.

But that was not the case in the second half as the Lions showed their teeth and the fans responded.

With Brooke Norton-Cuffy and Tom Bradshaw subbed on and Millwall reverting to a back three, the home side came to life. Casper De Norre’s rasping drive forced a save out of Ryan Allsop while Norton-Cuffy gave the crowd plenty of encouragement as he twice skilfully beat Philogene down the right.

But skill was not just be reserved for just one wing-back as Bryan on the other side soon came into play. The former Fulham man picked the ball up after 54 minutes, brilliantly dummied two Hull defenders in the box before sweeping the ball into the bottom corner.

It was Bryan’s first goal in English football since he equalised at Old Trafford against Manchester United in May 2021 for already-relegated Fulham and his first goal in the Championship since his extra-time brace against Brentford for the Cottagers in the 2020 play-off final at Wembley.

With the crowd screaming their side on, Hull on the retreat and Emakhu for the hosts and Aaron Connolly for the visitors introduced off the bench, more goals seemed guaranteed in a frantic contest.

But chances were few and far between as the two scarred teams desperately tried to cover up their wounds.

Bradshaw had a header loop wide from Bryan’s wide free-kick before another set-piece from the defender found Jake Cooper, but his header was blocked.

And then after 82 minutes, minutes after coming off the bench, Romain Esse almost set up Emakhu for the winner in what would have been a reverse from the memorable moment at Middlesbrough on the opening day. But the 19-year-old’s charge towards goal was snuffed out by Hull captain Jacob Greaves.

There was no one to stop him in stoppage time. The impressive Esse again slid in Emakhu and he was bearing down on goal with thousands in the stands holding their breath.

But he blasted his effort over and was unable to provide a fairytale ending to a game that deserved it.

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Millwall: 4-2-3-1: Bialkowski; McNamara (Norton-Cuffy 46′), Harding, Cooper (c), Bryan; Leonard, De Norre; Campbell (Saville 71′), Flemming (Esse 81′), Watmore (Bradshaw 46′); Nisbet (Emakhu 58′)

Hull City: 4-2-3-1: Allsop; Christie, Jones, McLoughlin, Greaves (c); Morton, Seri; Delap (Lokilo 71′), Traore (Docherty 90′), Philogene; Twine (Connolly 61′).

Referee:Tim Robinson

Attendance:15,204 (1,113 away)