Charlton 0 Millwall 1: McDonald lights up lacklustre encounter to give Lions second successive win

By David Kent

PUBLISHED: 08:10 EST, 21 September 2013 | UPDATED: 09:55 EST, 21 September 2013


Scott McDonald's first Millwall goal fired Steve Lomas' side to a 1-0 victory over derby rivals Charlton.

The former Middlesbrough striker opened his Lions account shortly before half-time with a deflected effort from outside the area.

McDonald's strike means Millwall, who looked a club in crisis after propping the table with no wins from their first six matches of the season, have now leapfrogged their neighbours in the table.

Scott McDonald of Millwall

Match winner: Scott McDonald (right) scores the winner for Millwall with his first goal for the club

MATCH FACTS

Charlton: Hamer, Morrison, Dervite, Wood (Stewart 57), Jackson, Stephens, Pritchard (Harriotts 72), Wiggins, Wilson, Church, Pigott (Sordell 72)

Subs not used: Alnwick, Evina, Cousins, Gower,

Booked: Jackson

Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Robinson, Beevers, Malone, Trotter (Chaplow 80), Woolford, Abdou, Waghorn (Martin 70), Bailey, McDonald (Morison 60)

Subs not used: Bywater, Connolly, Osborne, Easter

Booked: Waghorn

Scorer: McDonald (38)

Click HERE for full results, fixtures and tables in the Championship

It was a far cry from this time last week, when disgruntled home fans were calling for Lomas' head after a 5-1 capitulation against Derby.

Instead they made the short trip across south London buoyed by their first win of the season against Blackpool in midweek.

But Charlton made the brighter start and skipper Johnnie Jackson fizzed a 20-yard drive narrowly over the crossbar.

Millwall soon got into their stride, though, and Ben Hamer got down well to keep out long-range efforts from Martyn Waghorn and former Charlton midfielder Nicky Bailey.

And the Lions made the breakthrough in the 38th minute, with the aid of a wicked deflection off Dorian Dervite.

Hamer was already diving to his right to keep out McDonald's speculative 25-yard drive when it flicked off defender Dervite and rolled inside the keeper's left-hand post.

Charlton could have equalised 30 seconds into the second half when Dale Stephens collected the ball on the edge of the area but the midfielder could not keep his shot down.

But the Addicks, without their top scorer Yann Kermorgant through injury and with 19-year-old striker Joe Pigott making his full league debut, rarely looked like pulling level.

Simon Church had their best chance 14 minutes from the end when he was put through by sub Marvin Sordell.

The striker shaped to curl the ball round David Forde but the Lions keeper read his intentions too easily and made the save low to his left.

At the other end Millwall sub Steve Morison could have grabbed his second goal in two games but his shot was beaten away by Hamer, with Waghorn unable to get on the end of the rebound, and Scott Malone fired an angled drive into the side-netting.

However, one goal was enough to send the Millwall fans home happy while those of a Charlton persuasion were left voicing their discontent.

Scott McDonald of Millwall

McDonald lines up the only highlight of what was a lacklustre game

Charlton Millwall Charlton Athletic's Bradley Pritchard is tackled by Millwall's Nicky Bailey

Charlton Millwall

The Addicks' Cameron Stewart and Millwall's Jimmy Abdou do battle

Scott McDonald

Scott McDonald celebrates after scoring to give Millwall victory

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i watched the game and millwall showed their championshjp pedegree ,they were more hungry for the points im afraid charlton never turned up,they have some good youngsters but clueless,they have to slow things down and play the spaces,also one man don't make a team,maybe they can learn about teamwork fom millwall's performance .as a millwall fan it look's like steve lomas is getting together a workman side well done lion's. .

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As a neutral I didn't feel the game was lacklustre at all, I suggest you attend games that you report on or actually watch them if you are there. Millwall absolutely dominated Charlton until the end of the second half, there was good movement, one touch passing at points in the game and attacking play. I was in the Millwall end and the supporters I spoke to were more than happy with the performance - rightly so. The only disappointing elements included a terrible performance by the referee and the lack of Charlton support. This was a distinct difference to when I was last present at this fixture approximately 4 years ago when it finished 4-4 which to this day is the most exciting game of football I have ever witnessed. I wonder how you reported that..... Lacklustre draw and Milwall players sent off again?? Get a grip and report facts.

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As a neutral I didn't feel the game was lacklustre at all, I suggest you attend games that you report on or actually watch them if you are there. Millwall absolutely dominated Charlton until the end of the second half, there was good movement, one touch passing at points in the game and attacking play. I was in the Millwall end and the supporters I spoke to were more than happy with the performance - rightly so. The only disappointing elements included a terrible performance by the referee and the lack of Charlton support. This was a distinct difference to when I was last present at this fixture approximately 4 years ago when it finished 4-4 which to this day is the most exciting game of football I have ever witnessed. I wonder how you reported that..... Lacklustre draw and Milwall players sent off again?? Get a grip and report facts.

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As a neutral

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Always used to enjoy strolling along to the Robins down the road over the years and being gifted the points .... They are such nice neighbours.

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