Millwall smash Staines for four

Hands up for the cup. Photo: Brian Tonks

Hands up for the cup. Photo: Brian Tonks

Millwall ended Staines Town‘s FA Cup dreams with a comprehensive 4-0 win at the Den on Wednesday night in a second-round replay.

They will now face Championship side Derby County in a third round home tie the first weekend of January.

Staines kept the Lions to one goal in the first half, continuing their sterling defensive play from the teams’ earlier match. But their attempts to find an equaliser opened them to constant pressure from the home side, and Millwall scored three in the second half.

The result will no doubt brighten the mood of Lions manager Kenny Jackett, who missed the match due to a case of the flu.

Millwall carried much of the early play, but were unable to break through the resolute Staines defence until Steve Morison got on the scoresheet in the 41st minute.

Lewis Smith’s punt was picked up by Danny Schofield, who in turn threaded a pass through to Morison, who beat his man before firing the ball past Staines keeper Louis Wells.

This seemed to deflate the visitors, and the Lions would take advantage soon after the restart.

Within four minutes, Millwall doubled their lead. Morison would once again be involved, this time stripping the ball from Staines’ Howard Newton and setting up Smith for his first goal in a Millwall shirt.

As the visitors were desperate to give their traveling support something to cheer, the match opened up and the Lions took advantage.

Sub Ashley Grimes fired straight on Wells at 70 minutes, and Schofield forced Staines into a corner with a mazy run.

Millwall’s work paid off in the latter stages. Alan Dunne fired home off of a Danny Schofield corner in the 82nd minute, and Schofield capped off the evening by taking advantage of Adam Bolder’s free kick to make it four.

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