, REPORT: Aston Villa 1-0 Millwall – Lions fail to move clear of bottom three while Villa cement play-off place.

REPORT: Aston Villa 1-0 Millwall – Lions fail to move clear of bottom three while Villa cement play-off place.

Millwall missed the chance to move clear of the relegation zone after losing 1-0 at Villa Park on a warm sunny Easter Monday.

Millwall came into the game in the middle of a four match unbeaten run. Three successive draws had seen the Lions move three points clear of the dreaded dotted line. Meanwhile, Villa had won nine games on the trot and were looking for a club record tenth win in succession.

Villa started on the front foot. Forcing an early corner that Jake Cooper was able to clear. Just a minute later Jack Grealish was brought down, Mile Jedinak put the free kick over the bar. John McGinn and Jonathan Kodjia combined well to force another corner which Anwar El Ghazi headed wide from when he should have hit the target.

After 10 minutes Millwall found their feet, Jed Wallace went close with a left footed shot from 25 yards which tested Jed Steer in the Villa goal.

Grealish was beginning to problems, Ryan Tunnicliffe brought him down and Villa were awarded a free kick only for it to be headed over the bar.

It didn’t take long for Villa’s attacking prowesses to come out. Jake Cooper was beaten for pace by Kodjia after Ryan Leonard’s short back pass. However, the striker was unable to finish past David Martin. He wouldn’t have to wait much longer to find the net. McGinn and Grealish worked the ball into the box for Kodjia to finish past Martin.

Millwall went close down the other end before the break, Ben Marshall saw his shot blocked. Kodjia could have had a second for Villa, but after a poor clearance from Cooper, he was caught on his heels.

Half Time: Aston Villa 1 Millwall 0

Millwall’s aim at the start of the second half was to nullify the threat posed by McGinn and Grealish. For the first twenty minutes that was done very well. Kodjia, however, danced his way past Jake Cooper and poked a shot wide of the target.

As we reached the hour mark, Dean Smith introduced both Andre Green and Conor Hourihane. This ignited some more pace in the ranks for Villa. It wasn’t long before it took effect. Grealish did superbly well to set up Green but his shot hit the side netting.

Grealish himself there went close, after a nice interchange with Green his shot was stopped by David Martin to keep Millwall in the game.

Neil Harris introduced both Aiden O’Brien and Steve Morison as Millwall went more direct. However, it did not help their Lions in the aim to create chances.Tom Elliott was also introduced but failed to add the attacking threat that Millwall desired.

For Villa it’s a tenth successive win and they cement their place in the Championship play-off places. However, for Millwall they remain dangerously outside the bottom three.

 

 

 

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