 |
 |
| Home | 1987/88 | Previous | Next |
| Division 2: Barnsley Home |
| MAC'S MISERY |
| Lions skipper out for a month |
|---|
| Injury-hit skipper Alan McLeary faces a frustrating spell on the sidelines as Millwall try to establish themselves amongst the early season pacesetters. McLeary damaged his knee ligaments during Tuesday's Littlewood's Cup clash with Orient, and looks certain to be out of first team action for at least a month. |
"It is very frustrating, especially after all the hard work I've put in during pre-season," admitted the 23-year-old defender. It will be a few weeks before I can start training properly and then it is a question of getting back to match fitness." "I am quite a quick healer but I am not going to rush back because these things can easily go again. It’s particularly disappointing because I didn't miss a game last season and now with all the competition for places, it could be difficult getting back into the side." |
Steve Wood, Millwall’s £85,000 summer signing from Reading, will take, McLeary’s place for tomorrow's opening home game against Allan Clarke's Barnsley. But despite his untimely injury McLeary is confident that the Lions can build on their encouraging start to the new campaign. "We were quite pleased to go up to Middlesbrough and get a point, in fact we had enough chances to have won it," he explained. |
| "We also played quite well at Orient and there were a lot of encouraging signs - its just a pity that I won't be a part of it for a while. Barnsley kicked off their season with a 1-1 draw in the Yorkshire derby against Leeds and then followed that up with an impressive 1-0 away win at Blackburn in midweek. Despite niggling injuries to Kevin O'Callaghan, Danis Salman,Nicky Coleman, and Michael Marks, Docherty is quietly satisfied with the way his side has performed during their opening two games." |
|
| Goal Happy |
TONY Cascarino opened his goal scoring account with a classic header and then promised Millwall's success starved fans that the best is yet to come. Cascarino repaid the first installment on his £220,000 transfer from Gillingham after 50 minutes and paved the way for a stirring second half performance that ended with a standing ovation from the 6,017 crowd. "I was delighted with the goal and overall my performance was a lot better than in the first two games," said Cascarino. "After the Middlesbrough match I told the manager that I felt lost, but I am starting to settle in now." "I never really doubted that I would be able to score, in the Second Division, there's not that much difference from the Third really, but it was still nice to get that, first one." "I was pleased that Teddy and George also got on the scoresheet because it is important that we share the goals around in case one of us hits a lean spell." Midfield workaholic Terry Hurlock helped crack Barnsley's stubborn defence with an intelligent run |
and a superb, pinpoint cross and there was Cascarino leaping head and shoulders above the defence and his strking partner Sheringham to record goal number one. It ended 50 minutes of frustration for Millwall who only had one brilliant George Lawrence volley to show for their domination of the first half - and that was superbly saved by Clive Baker. But Lawrence turned provider in the 62nd minute with a blistering run down the right, and although Cascarino's header was palmed out by Baker, Sheringham promptly drove the ball back into the roof of the net. The stage looked set for Millwall to convert their superiority into more goals, but the complexion of the game changed completely when Den old boy Steve Lowdnes pulled one back in the 66th minute after springing Millwall's offside trap. Suddenly Barnsley sensed that they might be able to salvage a point from their shambolic performance and only two superb stops by Brian Horne prevented John MacDonald from snatching an equaliser. |
The Lions jitters evaporated a minute from time though when a carefully rehearsed free kick ended with Lawrence twisting a header in off the far post. "I wasn't satisfied with our ratio of goal attempts in the first half, but we put that right after the break," explained manager John Docherty. There is a lot of bedding in still to be done before I will be completely satisfied, but I am pleased because the lads wanted to give that sort of performance and our three main strikers all ended up on the score sheet. " Ratings: Horne ****, Stevens ***, Sparham ***, Hurlock ****, Waker***, Wood ***, Lawrence ***, Briley ***, Sheringham ***, Cascarino ****, Bynre ** Bookings: Cascarino Referee: M Bailey Match Rating 4 |
 |
| • Teddy Sheringham is congratulated by David Byrne after scoring Millwall's Second Goal |
|
  
|
| • From Two Angles: Cascarino beats Teddy and the Barnsley defence to head home his first goal for the club. |
| • Teddy gets in a shot |
| Debs' delight |
| Millwall 3-1 Barnsley By Terry Bushell |
|---|
| MILLWALL'S summer signings Tony Cascarino and George Lawrence were pleased as punch at scoring on their home debuts. Lawrence even gave a little victory jig as hiscolleagues rushed to congratulate him on his injury-time goal. |
| And Lions' manager John Docherty was also
chuffed. Having spent well-over £½ million on new players in a massive financial, gamble for promotion, he is under pressure for success. He said afterwards: "It was lovely for the new boys to be on the scoresheet, but there's still a lot to do before I'll be totally satisfied." The players received a thunderous welcome back to a new League season - from the gods as well as from the shirt-sleeved crowd on a hot and humid day, the storm that flooded Lewisham was brewing over the Den just as the game started. In a dull, goalless first half, it was Millwall who did all the attacking. Barnsley did not have a single attempt at goal. A fierce shot from Les Briley was blocked by Paul Futcher and a Lawrence volley from the corner was stopped on the line at the near post by Barnsley keeper Clive Baker. Referee Michael Bailey had a word with Cascarino for a challenge on Baker when he stood no chance of getting the ball and with Central defender Alan Walker for a foul on Roger Wylde in the centre-circle. Bailey then booked Cascarino for a late tackle on Futcher, and ticked off Barnsley manager Alan Clarke for protesting at the foul too much. Millwall were all hustle and bustle in midfield, with little guile and the Barnsley rearguard, well marshalled by Futcher, dealt easily with most of their attacks. One of Millwall's best chances came when Lawrence sold a clever dummy, allowing the ball to run between his legs to Teddy Sheringham and going immediately for a quick pass. Baker blocked his close-range shot however. At half-time, Millwall's other symbols of their new ambition - new floodlights and shiny new blue seats in one part of the stand- looked, without success on the field, superfluous. |
| But then six minutes into the second half Cascarino at last had bums off those seats as supporters rose to cheer his goal. Lawrence began the move out on the right when he passed back to right-back Keith Stevens. Stevens put clear midfielder Hurlock with a good, quick pass over the Barnsley defence. Hurlock’s sent over a high cross, and Cascarino leapt to head the ball home for his first goal for the club. The goal stung the visitors into action and the match came alive, brightening in complexion from the turgid grey it had been up till then. Lions goalkeeper Brian Horne immediately had to make a brave challenge at the feet of Gwyn Thomas, whose sharp runs from midfield were to be a danger for the rest of the afternoon. Barnsley sent on Mark Robinson at outside-left for his first appearance, in place of the ineffectual Michael Clarke. But five minutes later Millwall went two up. Sheringham, in his own half, put Lawrence clear out on the right. Lawrence, in exactly the same position as Hurlock when he made the first goal, centred, Cascarino headed, Baker saved, and Sheringham, who had run 50 yards into the six yard box, pushed home the rebound. Now at last Barnsley ventured upfield in earnest, and they came back into contention when former Millwall winger Steve Lowndes ran through and placed a shot past Horne following a lovely diagonal pass from Thomas that caused confusion in the Millwall defence. But of course the visitors' new inclination to attack left gaps in their defence (which is why they didn't do it in the first place) and Cascarino should have added to his goal when he rounded young defender Simon Jeffels. But his shot, instead of tearing into the net, instead smashed into the brand new Barclays League hoarding beyond the far post. |
 A belated rainstorm had spectators running for cover to the back of the terraces, and while the vertical sheets of torrential rain poured down, referee Bailey booked Wylde for a foul on Walker. Lawrence's goal came by a header via a Briley free-kick. The ball hit the inside of the past and appeared to be cleared off the line but Bailey ruled it had crossed the line. Millwall: Horne, Stevens, Sparham, Hurlock, Walker, Wood, Lawrence, Briley, Sheringham, Cascarino, Byrne. Subs (not used): Morgan, Salman. Barnsley: Baker, Joyce, Jeffels, Thomas, Gray, Futcher, Wylde, Agnew, Lowndes, MacDonald, Clarke (Robinson 56 min). Other sub (not used): Cross. Ref: Bailey (Cambridge) Att: 6,017 |
|
| Home | 1987/88 | Previous | Next |
The Millwall History Files The Millwall Story since the early 1980's
[Home] [Contents]
[Links] [Search] |