The Prem dream is over for Millwall as Hull City rise highest to the occasion

High stakes at the Den, but there was no happy ending for the Lions : Picture by Richard Cawley

Championship play-off second leg

Millwall (0) 0

Hull City (0) 2 Belloumi 64 Gelhardt 79

The Championship doesn’t do predictable scripts. Millwall found that out on Tuesday night.

After a 0-0 draw on Humberside, the Lions were hot favourites to reach their first ever play-off final at this level. But Hull City, who only moved back into sixth place on the last day of the regulation campaign, had other ideas.

They deserved this victory too as they set up a Wembley showdown against either Southampton or Boro on May 23.

The Lions are left to lick their wounds. There were such high hopes that a 36-year wait for top-flight football could be ended later this month.

Instead of facing Arsenal, Liverpool and the two Manchester clubs next season, it will be Lincoln and Cardiff.

It remains to be seen if their top performers - such as Femi Azeez and Tristan Crama - are lured away. Ipswich, who took the second automatic promotion spot, were rebuffed in their bid for the former in the January transfer window.

Millwall manager Alex Neil made changes early in the second half, unhappy at the momentum built up by the visitors as they kicked towards their fans, situated in the top tier of the North Stand.

But those switches by the Scot failed to have the desired impact.

When it came to picking out the star performers on the night, they were all from the victors. Oli McBurnie. Matt Crooks. All three of their totally committed centre-backs.

The opening goal was a wonderful strike by Mohamed Belloumi in the 64th minute. The Algerian winger had replaced Kyle Joseph, forced off with an injury at the end of the first half. It proved an inspired, if slightly fortuitous and enforced, change.

Belloumi was invited to cut inside on to his left foot by Alfie Doughty and finished across Millwall goalkeeper Anthony Patterson.

When substitute Joe Gelhardt made it 2-0 in the 79th minute, a matter of moments after coming on, it was a crushing setback which Millwall never looked like they would be able to recover from.

It was such a poor goal to concede. Belloumi should never have been able to pickpocket the ball off Jake Cooper on the touchline and Gelhardt’s shot squeezed between the hands of Patterson, with enough pace left on the ball for it to roll over the goal-line.

It was Gelhardt's 15th goal of a highly productive loan from Leeds.

Patterson’s poor keeping was the cue for some home supporters to head for the exits. More and more made the same decision as the seconds ticked by.

It could have got worse as Hull used the ball so effectively on the counter. Crooks went through in the 86th minute but chipped into the arms of Patterson.

Millwall’s miserable night was capped off by Crama sustaining what looked to be an ankle injury after being fouled by Gelhardt, just as the tie ticked over into seven minutes of stoppage time.

Neil had used all his substitutions, a further blow to their already bleak prospects of fashioning something remarkable to take the contest into extra-time.

You could make the case that Millwall had just about shaded the first period as Azeez had his moments. There were a couple of scrambles as City came under pressure with John Egan clearing a goal bound attempt.

Ivor Pandur pushed over a full-blooded strike by Azeez. The Hull number one did not have enough uncomfortable moments on the evening.

Neil brought on Bannan in the 63rd minute. But the Sheffield Wednesday legend gifted a chance with a wayward pass that was intercepted by Belloumi - Regan Slater’s subsequent shot deflected over the bar for a corner.

It was only the second time this season that Millwall failed to score in successive Championship matches and their first blank at The Den since a 0-0 draw with Ipswich Town on Boxing Day.

They paid the heaviest of prices for lacking a cutting edge. The challenge now will be to come back stronger.

Lions: (4-2-3–1) Patterson - Leonard, Crama, Cooper, Sturge (Doughty 63) - De Norre (Bannan 63), Mazou-Sacko (Cundle 85) - Azeez, Neghli, Ballo (Ivanovic 57) - Coburn (Langstaff 85).

Tigers: (3-4-2-1) Pandur - Ajayi, Egan, Hughes - Coyle, Crooks, Slater (Lundstram 84), Giles (McNair 84)- Joseph (Belloumi 45+1), Millar (Gelhardt 78) - McBurnie (Koumas 84).