Lucky Millwall hold late Derby County rally at bay to keep hot on the heels of second placed Boro

Lighting up The Den : Picture by @YTJourno

Championship

Millwall (1) 1 Coburn 43

Derby County (0) 0

Millwall kept up the pressure on Middlesbrough in the hunt for automatic promotion with another of those gritty wins carved out in pure granite - helped by a little slice of good fortune.

Their high energy press and sheer will power just about carried the day against the Rams, who became more of a threat as the second half wore on - their need for points to make the play-offs every bit as urgent as the Lions' own objectives.

Josh Coburn's first half header was just enough to claim the points - making it seven wins in nine games and four on the spin - to reduce the gap to second placed Boro to just a single point - albeit having played a game more.

They will hope to maintain their push with another three points at the weekend when Blackburn visit The Den.

Home fans urged the Lions to get amongst it and after a spell of sparring they began to exert pressure, Zak Sturge headed a chip up from Femi Azeez towards goal and keeper Josh Vickers tipped over and from the resulting corner, Josh Coburn glanced a header against the inside of the far post.

Without getting a ton of chances, they were managing to pin the Rams back on their own 18 yard line too much for the away side's comfort and when Barry Bannon slung in a free-kick from the right, Tristan Crama hooked the ball back into the middle for Coburn to head in at the far post.

The striker then drew a low save from the keeper after cutting in from the left before sending in a strike from the edge of the area. It ensured the half ended on a positive note for Alex Neil's very focused side.

Fans were enjoying the muck and nettles side of the game. When Crama raced back to close down a fast-breaking Patrick Agyemang, the elongated 'Miiiiiillllwalll' chant kicked in.

Lewis Travis pinged a shot just wide for the Rams but they were finding it hard to get up the pitch in numbers - such was the work being done by the Lions to hunt down their prey - but Agyemang might have made it 1-1 when he held off Crama to open up the target, only to send his final shot wide.

The Lions were also relieved to see a Sam Szmodics angled drive whistle wide, with Anthony Patterson exposed by a ball played into the inside right channel. They were also grateful that a diving header from sub Carlton Morris also missed the target when he seemed certain to score and Agyemang, the player of the match thumped a shot against a post right at the death.

In short, there wasn't much in it, but the Lions found away to get over the line.

Lions: (4-2-3-1) Patterson - McNamara, Crama, Cooper, Sturge - Neghli, Mitchell (Smallbone 89) - Azeez (Watson 89), Bannan (Cundle 72), Ivanovic (Langstaff 73) - Coburn (Mazou-Sacko 90)

Rams: (4-2-3-1) Vickers (O'Donnell 86) - Ward, Sanderson, Matt Clarke, Murkin - Ozoh (Bobby Clark h/t), Travis (Fraulo 84) - Brereton Diaz (Banel 60), Szmodics, Brewster Morris 60) - Agyemang

Attendance: 15,939