Millwall v Bristol City

Millwall 2

N'Guessan 19′ Smith 75′

Bristol City 1

Stead 63′

FT 90 +7
HT 1-0

Millwall climbed back up the Championship table with a hard-fought win over Bristol City.

The result ended a run of three games without a victory and moved the Lions to within a place of the play-offs.

Dany N'Guessan gave Millwall a first-half lead, with Jon Stead levelling the game after the break.

Adam Smith's fierce volley, his first goal for the club since arriving on loan from Tottenham, restored Millwall's lead 15 minutes from time.

Kenny Jackett's side are only outside the top six on goal difference, while City only have Barnsley between themselves and the foot of the table.

Darius Henderson headed wide inside the first minute of the match, while Liam Trotter forced City goalkeeper Tom Heaton into making a save as the hosts started well.

Not so happy New Year

This was the first time Bristol City have tasted defeat in the first game of the calendar year since 2003.

N'Guessan drilled the ball past Heaton on 19 minutes to give Milwall a deserved lead, and the home side dominated until the break with Mark Beevers going close with a header.

City increased their tempo after half-time and began to threaten the Millwall goal, with keeper David Forde pushing a Neil Danns shot around his post two minutes after the restart.

Substitute Sam Baldock forced Forde into a fine save from 25 yards before the visitors drew level after 63 minutes, the unmarked Stead touching in Albert Adomah's long ball from in front of goal.

The equaliser pressed Millwall into action, and Smith had already gone close with one chance when he latched onto a knockdown from James Henry's free kick to volley the ball beyond Heaton for the winner.

Millwall manager Kenny Jackett: "It's great to get a win after two losses, I'm very, very pleased with that.

"Their keeper was far busier than ours and kept them in it with some excellent saves and we're very pleased with the victory.

"I am very pleased for Adam Smith because throughout his Millwall career he has looked like breaking through from the back in either setting up or scoring a goal."

Bristol City manager Derek McInnes: "We didn't deal with the free kick and it's a goal we've lost far too often - it was far too easy to score for them. But we put the game to chance with an inept first half performance. That was where we lost it.

"The second half performance was so much better, and even then after the equaliser we looked like we should go on to win it.

"At the very least we should take a draw, so it's very frustrating to come away with nothing."

Lineup, Bookings (3) & Substitutions (5)

Millwall

01 Forde
03 Shittu
12 Lowry
16 Beevers
25 Smith
06 Trotter
14 Henry Booked
15 Feeney
26 Abdou
07 Henderson (Smith - 82' )
22 N'Guessan (Batt - 90' )

Substitutes

33 M Taylor
02 Dunne
21 Smith
27 Osborne
04 Wright
09 Marquis
11 Batt

Bristol City

01 Heaton
03 Wilson (Taylor - 89' )
04 Fontaine (Baldock - 45' )
17 Cunningham
19 McManus
39 Bates
14 Skuse
21 Anderson (Woolford - 45' )
27 Adomah Booked
38 Danns Booked
09 Stead

Substitutes

22 Gerken
06 Carey
23 Edwards
11 Woolford
25 Elliott
07 Baldock
18 Taylor

Ref: East

Att: 9,784

Match Stats

Possession 54 46

Shots

11 6

On target

6 4

Corners

7 3

Fouls

15 10

Live Text Commentary

96:06 Full time

Full Time The match has reached full-time.

90:00 +3:01

Direct free kick taken by Liam Trotter.

90:00 +3:01 Booking

Booking Albert Adomah is given a yellow card.

90:00 +2:57

Albert Adomah is penalised for a handball.

90:00 +1:49

Tom Heaton takes the direct free kick.

90:00 +1:49 Substitution

Substitution (Millwall) makes a substitution, with Shaun Batt coming on for Dany N'Guessan.

90:00 +1:49 Booking

Booking The referee cautions James Henry for unsporting behaviour.

90:00 +1:38

James Henry challenges Neil Danns unfairly and gives away a free kick.

90:00 +0:18

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Martyn Woolford from the left by-line to the near post, clearance by James Henry.

89:48

Shane Lowry challenges Ryan Taylor unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Albert Adomah from right channel.

87:59

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Greg Cunningham by Dany N'Guessan.

87:59

Tom Heaton restarts play with the free kick.

87:59 Substitution

Substitution Ryan Taylor replaces Mark Wilson.

87:59

Unfair challenge on Greg Cunningham by Dany N'Guessan results in a free kick. Tom Heaton takes the free kick.

87:32

Albert Adomah takes a shot. Save by David Forde.

85:38

Liam Trotter takes a shot. Save by Tom Heaton. James Henry takes the outswinging corner, Cole Skuse makes a clearance.

83:36

Free kick awarded for a foul by Shane Lowry on Albert Adomah. Tom Heaton restarts play with the free kick.

81:54 Substitution

Substitution Darius Henderson leaves the field to be replaced by Jack Smith.

81:27

Free kick awarded for a foul by Martyn Woolford on Adam Smith. David Forde restarts play with the free kick.

77:44

Free kick awarded for a foul by Liam Trotter on Albert Adomah. Tom Heaton restarts play with the free kick.

74:39

Liam Trotter provided the assist for the goal.

74:39 Goal scored

Goal - Adam Smith - Millwall 2 - 1 Bristol C Goal scored by Adam Smith from inside the box high into the middle of the goal. Millwall 2-1 Bristol City.