MILLWALL under-21’s booked their place in the Professional Development League play-off final after beating Hull City 4-3 at The Den.
The Lions qualified for the semi-final by winning the southern section of the league, while the Tigers had finished second in the northern section behind Sheffield United, who qualified for the final with a 4-0 win against Bristol City earlier in the afternoon.
The hosts started well and could have been ahead inside the opening five minutes after winning a throw-in down the right. Sashiel Adom-Malaki’s long throw found Aidomo Emakhu in the box, but his powerful volley was scooped just past the post.
They were, however, caught out by a controversial offside call after eight minutes as George Walker was caught out of position down the right. It allowed Tim Simms to cross the ball into the box, with Millwall unable to clear as Harry Wood stabbed the ball into the net from the edge of the box.
Emakhu looked to get the hosts back in the game seconds later, but he fired wide with a low shot from just outside the area. Kevin Nugent’s men were dominating, but found themselves 2-0 down after 14 minutes as an unmarked Raj Palit was allowed to curl a low shot into the bottom corner.
The momentum of the game dipped after the second goal, with another controversial offside decision flagging Tom Leahy as the striker robbed Alfie Taylor of the ball. Two minutes later, Emakhu was brought down inside the box after a powerful run from the right flank, but nothing was given. The Irish youth international was then fouled by Will Jarvis, who picked up a yellow card, before Tom Leahy fired an ambitious long-range effort over the bar.
Frustrations were growing, but Millwall found a way back into the game in first-half stoppage time as Emakhu was played through on goal. His shot was saved by Hardy Fisk, but Hull could not prevent Nana Boateng from forcing the ball over the line with a header.
While the goal should have given them confidence in the second half, they found themselves 3-1 down as Jarvis was given time and space to run between Walker and Kyle Smith, firing a powerful effort into the back of the net from close range. Millwall had to work hard to prevent Hull from scoring again seconds later, clearing the ball of the line at the last minute.
The Tigers were on top, as Simms forced Joe Wright into a good save from a close-range flick. Millwall came close down the other end, but neither Leahy nor Esse were able to connect with Boateng’s cross from the left flank, prompting Nugent to bring top scorer Abdul Abdulmalik on for midfielder Sha’mar Lawson on the hour-mark.
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Nothing was clicking for Millwall as Emakhu saw his close-range shot saved by Fisk. The attacker was almost played through on goal by Esse soon after, but the 18-year-old could not find the right pass. Just before the 70th minute, Abdulmalik launched a counter and played Leahy in down the left, but the striker rolled a weak shot into the hands of the goalkeeper.
The Lions’ pressure paid off with just over 15 minutes to play, however. Emakhu was brought down inside the box by captain Jake Leake, allowing the January signing to calmly slot his penalty into the bottom left corner to cut Hull’s lead to a single goal.
The Tigers had to put everyone back as Millwall flooded bodies forward in search of a late equaliser. Their confidence returned but they were unable to force the ball over the line. Abdulmalik eventually managed to beat Fisk with a powerful from the edge of the area, but the flag was raised for offside.
Pressure was building, and while Hull tried to frustrate their opponents, they could not prevent Esse from prodding the ball over the line from point-blank range to level the scores in the fifth minute of stoppage time, sending the match to extra time.
Seconds in, Abdulmalik smashed a shot into the side netting from a tight angle down the right, and it was clear that Millwall were out to kill the game off early on. Hull were clearly rocked by the late equaliser and fell behind for the first time 11 minutes into extra time.
A long throw found Alfie Allen in the box, but his powerful effort was blocked. The ball bounced over to substitute Frankie Baker, who launched the rebound into the top corner to give the Lions a 4-3 lead.
Millwall looked the likelier to score again in the latter stages of stoppage time, but they crucially kept Hull quiet to book their place in the play-off final against the Blades.
Millwall: 4-4-2: Wright; Walker, Smith, Okoli, Adom-Malaki; Esse, Allen, Walker, Boateng; Emakhu, Leahy
Hull: 4-4-1-1: Fisk; Nixon, Leckie, Taylor, Leake; Palit, Green, Jones, Jarvis; Wood; Simms
Photo: Millwall FC
