Soccer: Fourth straight defeat for Millwall

Gillingham 1 Millwall 0

Marlon King’s 19th goal of the season condemned Millwall to their fourth straight defeat and further dented their Nationwide League Division One play-off hopes.

The Gillingham striker grabbed the only goal of the game in the 69th minute, sliding in at the far post to meet Ty Gooden’s low cross.

Christophe Kinet was sent off with 10 minutes remaining, as four other Millwall players were booked on a frustrating afternoon for Mark McGhee’s men.

The Lions started brightly, and midfielder Paul Ifill was first to test Jason Brown in the Gillingham goal with a drilled shot from the edge of the box.

Moments later Millwall earned a free-kick 35 yards from goal and, although Kinet tried his luck with a curling attempt, Brown was never in trouble and made an easy save.

Gillingham, who lost in midweek at Norwich, had their first chance of the afternoon in the 13th minute. But Gooden mishit his shot, and the ball flew harmlessly over the crossbar.

The Gills began to exert some pressure on Millwall’s rearguard.

Paul Shaw, who has scored seven goals this season, connected sweetly with Gooden’s free-kick after 17 minutes but his shot was parried by Tony Warner and cleared to safety.

Ifill was booked a minute later for a rash challenge on King, and from the resulting free-kick defender Chris Hope headed wide.

Millwall’s response was instant, and Kinet brought a superb diving save from Brown with a vicious drive from the right of the area.

But it was the home side who looked most likely to break the deadlock as they continued to pile forward.

Shaw had another effort saved by Warner after 27 minutes, and the same player was denied a certain goal on the half-hour by a last-ditch block from Sean Dyche.

After surviving a lengthy spell of Gillingham pressure, the visitors almost took the lead with the best chance of the first half.

A long goal-kick from Warner eventually found its way to Tim Cahill. The forward let fly with a piledriver from 20 yards, but Brown tipped his shot round the post.

The second half started badly for Millwall, as defender Ronnie Bull left the field with what looked to be a serious injury. He was replaced by fit again Robbie Ryan.

Shaw continued to cause problems for the Millwall defence and should have done better with a close-range header after good work from King. But he failed to make any real connection, and Warner gratefully gathered.

King spurned a good chance himself in the 65th minute, as Gooden’s dangerous corner found its intended target at the far post but the striker hit a weak shot over the crossbar.

The forward had to wait only four more minutes to add to his tally thanks to more good work from Gooden.

Millwall had hardly threatened since the restart and their frustrations became apparent as Cahill’s name was added to Ifill, Bull and David Livermore in the referee’s notebook.

Temperatures finally boiled over a minute later, as Kinet was shown a straight red card for an x-rated challenge on Nayron Nosworthy.

It was the visitors who had the better of the closing stages, however, as Cahill had a header acrobatically tipped over the crossbar by Brown.