Tranmere earn FA Cup replay

Millwall 0 Tranmere 0

John Achterberg was the Tranmere hero as his penalty save secured the Second Division club an FA Cup quarter-final replay with Millwall after a goalless draw at the New Den.

Rovers were bidding to make it third time lucky after losing at this stage to Liverpool and Newcastle in the last five years, and they still have a chance to reach their first semi-final thanks to the Dutchman.

Achterberg was back in the starting line-up after a knee injury and had already pulled off a string of excellent saves before he deflected Kevin Muscat’s 77th-minute spot kick over his crossbar following a Ryan Taylor’s foul on Tim Cahill.

Player-manager Dennis Wise restored himself to Millwall’s starting line-up for the club’s first quarter-final in 19 years after sitting out last Tuesday’s defeat at Sheffield United.

But the three-time winner could not inspire his team to find a way past Achterberg despite Millwall dominating for long spells of an engrossing contest.

Wise was into the thick of the action early on, and needed heavy strapping on his left knee after an awkward turn with just seven minutes gone.

Early efforts from Millwall’s David Livermore and Cahill flew high and wide, but Wise drew a fine diving save from Achterberg with a free-kick in the 16th minute as the home side began to apply the pressure.

Sean Connelly then prevented Paul Ifill giving Millwall the lead with a timely block a minute later after Cahill’s pull back.

Tranmere were struggling to make it out of their own half and Achterberg saved Livermore’s long-range effort before Ian Goodison deflected a Harris effort over his own crossbar on the half-hour following a quick break out of defence by Ifill.

The visitors were rocking under the pressure when Achterberg performed heroics in the 36th minute.

Wise swung in a right-footed corner and Cahill powered a header goalwards, but Achterberg reacted quickly to turn the ball over at full stretch. Defender Darren Ward’s header from the resulting corner was deflected.

Tranmere finally showed some signs of life when Taylor and Gareth Roberts had successive shots blocked by Robbie Ryan and Muscat respectively.

Tranmere defender Goodison had to be carried to the bench when the half-time whistle blew after falling badly in an aerial challenge, but he came out to take his place for the second half.

A Wise cross from the right caused panic in the Rovers area shortly after the restart, but Ifill failed to make the most of it when the ball cleared everyone at the near post, slicing the ball harmlessly out of play.

The visitors finally forced a meaningful save from Millwall’s on-loan keeper Andy Marshall when Roberts hit a vicious shot in the 51st minute and the Ipswich player could only parry.

Ifill shot narrowly wide from the edge of the area, but Marshall did well to turn a snapshot from Roberts around his far post at the other end.

Cahill was clear eight yards from goal in the 73rd minute when Lawrence found him with a deep cross but the Australian sent his header meekly into Achterberg’s grateful arms.

Millwall were awarded a penalty when Cahill was pushed by Taylor, and the New Den’s biggest crowd in nearly three years waited expectantly for the opening goal only for Achterberg to tip Muscat’s 77th-minute spot -kick over.

The Dutchman did enough from the resulting corner to prevent a Lawrence header hitting the target, and Rovers could even have nicked it when Beresford had a late chance saved.