Millwall 1 Barnsley 3, League One Play-Off Final, 29th May 2016, Wembley Stadium, att: 51,277

OUR BIG DAY WAS A BIT OF A DAMP SQUID--BUT YOUNG HARVEY BROWN HAD AN AMAZING DAY

Back at the Arch

The lot I was with got there 3 hours early but it didn't matter as there is always lots to see and do before a Wembley game. Plenty of pre-match buzz around the place and even at the early hour many Millwall were streaming out of Wembley Park Tube Station ready for the game that would top the season off. I wanted us to stuff this lot from Barnsley who have spent the last two weeks slagging us off and they really are utter pillock's who hide behind keyboards and insult from afar. We took 30,000 to this game and although the total did not match the numbers we have took before to Wembley we were everywhere before the game and made up the bulk of the crowd and most of the noise once inside the stadium.

Having a beer

I had been confident all week that we would beat Barnsley but now the doubts were setting in, I tried to shrug them off but...........

Ben Thompson:   I did wonder what was going through his mind as it wasn't too long ago he was following the Wall like us and would more or less be doing the same thing and without much doubt as a supporter of the Lions thinking " this is Millwall we are talking about and disappointment could be just around the next corner:  A incredible journey for him and just a few years later wearing the shirt and coming out the tunnel to the thunderous roar of the Millwall crowd. If it was me they would probably have to call a ambulance as my heart would be coming out my shirt and my knees would be knocking. How would he play?

The Lions press but wide it goes

About the same as the rest of the team would be the answer to that question and after a long hard season it seemed to be a game too far.  We didn't play to any expectations and performed well below par. They made the game easy for Barnsley and they won it with some good finishing after moments of play where we didn't compete or win the second ball. We had bad luck when Bryon Webster had to drop out shortly before the start due to the injury he picked up in the 2nd leg of the Bradford City game. Was it bad luck or bad judgement that he declared that he was fit to start? Tony Craig come on in his place and took the Captains arm band from Steve Morison, I presume from the nod of Neil Harris. Steve Morison worked hard throughout the game trying to create but it wasn't to be his day or anybody else's. Due to injury we lost Joe Martin near the end of the first half which depleted our normal back four even more and not forgetting that Mahlon Romeo was also missing from the back line as he was suspended.  Shane Ferguson dropped into the left back position and Aiden O'Brien came on and played down the left but no super sub status as he produced very little.

Shed loads of Wall

The start of the game could have resulted in us taking the lead just after kick off but Barnsley went down the other end and went 1-0 up when Carlos Edwards was beaten to the challenge and Barnsley fired the ball home. The 30,000 went quiet for a second but then quickly got back into song to roar the Lions on. It did not work as Barnsley scored their second with nearly 20 minutes on the clock when a shot from outside the box curled into the top corner with Jordan Archer well beaten.
Mark Beevers was putting in a shift without Bryon Webster and scored ten minutes before half-time when he picked the ball up after a sort of miss-hit from Tony Craig and near the six yard line he spun and buried the ball home. Game on.

Game on

The second half and we had a few chances to equalise and Aiden O'Brien come close when Steve Morison crossed and O'Brien picked up the ball and shot but the keeper was in position to save without moving. The third Barnsley goal we conceded from a corner when Jordan Archer and others failed to clear or collect the ball and Barnsley's pint sized winger Lloyd Isgrove managed to out jump our back line and and his glancing header ended up in the back of the net. Chris Taylor had a effort late on but it wasn't to be and League One again next year. The away support rubbed it in which is to be expected and there was a small scuffle up on the upper tier which didn't result in much and was missed by many but managed to make head-line status. It is Millwall so to be expected.

I am having a couple of weeks off with this blog and unless the mood takes me to post something 'see you next season COYL

Millwall: Archer, Edwards (Williams 82), Craig, Beevers, J Martin (O'Brien 43), Taylor, Abdou, Thompson (Onyedinma 76), Ferguson, Gregory, Morison
subs not used, Forde, Philpot, Upson, Nelson,

Goal: Beevers 34m

Barnsley: Davies, Williams, Roberts, Mawson, Scowen, Isgrove ( Watkins 84m), Hammill, Hourihane, Fletcher (Toney 80m), Brownhill, Winnall
subs not used, Townsend, Chapham, Nyatanga, McCourt, White

Goals: Fletcher 2m,   Hammill 19m,  Isgrove 74m