Two Millwall Community Trust Ambassadors were on the scoresheet last night as The Lions beat Rotherham 3-0 at The Den.
Ryan Longman - with a long-range stunner - opened the scoring in SE16 before goals from Millwall Community Trust’s Education and Employment Ambassador Zian Flemming and Millwall Community Trust’s Crime Reduction Ambassador Tom Bradshaw ensured a safe passage to three points as The Lions got back to winning ways.
Gary Rowett made one change to his starting line-up for the visit of The Millers, as Flemming came back into the side at the expense of Billy Mitchell.
Joe Bryan, meanwhile, returned from injury to take a place on the bench.The Lions started on top in the South London rain, forcing numerous corner-kicks and throw-ins high up the pitch, but could not find the decisive ball that would test Viktor Johansson, despite spending the opening 15 minutes camped in the Rotherham half.
The first shot in anger came with 21 minutes on the clock, meanwhile, but Flemming's half-volley rolled wide. The attacking play continued and the chances began to flow for Millwall at the midway point of the half, but after former Lion Fred Onyedinma gave the ball away to Flemming and the Dutchman fed Kevin Nisbet, his pass to Bradshaw saw the Welshman strike wide.
On 27 minutes, however, the ball was finally in the back of the net - and in some style, as Longman took aim from 25 yards out and pinged a classic into the top corner.
The Millers' first foray into The Lions' penalty area came straight after that, but Onyedinma headed wide, with ex-Rotherham man Brooke Norton-Cuffy's cross then finding Bradshaw at the other end, but his strike was blocked.
Smart work from Flemming on the left-hand side then set up a chance for Nisbet with 10 minutes to play until the half-time break, but the Scotsman's header was straight at Johansson. Casper De Norre's rasping drive was then stopped well by the goalkeeper, before a chance in first-half stoppage-time saw Norton-Cuffy's cross headed wide by Flemming.
Onyedinma had the ball in the net for the visitors four minutes into the second-half, but he saw his strike chalked off for offside. The Lions were then forced into a change as Duncan Watmore had to replace Nisbet; the Scot turning awkwardly on the wet turf before falling and calling for attention, but he was able to regain his footing and walk unaided around the pitch and to the dugout. That did not deter Millwall, though, as the substitute was straight into the action, bursting down the left to cross - the ball was only half cleared, allowing Flemming to skip past one and strike home left-footed for his first goal of the season.
Just like after the first goal, The Millers were able to almost register on the scoresheet straight after the second, but as a lofted ball was flicked towards goal by half-time substitute Andre Green, Bartosz Bialkowski reacted well to tip the ball wide.
George Saville and Bryan were introduced into the play with 20 minutes remaining as The Lions went on the hunt for more goals, and the former had a chance with 77 minutes on the clock, but after Ryan Leonard's lung-busting run forward saw the centre-back cross for the Northern Irishman, he skewed over.
Norton-Cuffy tried his luck with 10 to play but found the dive of Johansson, likewise Watmore seven minutes later as Millwall looked to add the gloss to a successful night, but The Lions got their reward for their endeavour three minutes into stoppage-time as Bradshaw took advantage of a loose ball in the penalty area to fire home.
To find out more about Millwall Community Trust’s Ambassadors visit: https://millwall.charityhive.dev/about-player-ambassadors
