Observer 24/3/12Leeds get lucky as Ross McCormack's goal seals victory over Millwall
John Ashdown at The Den
Neil Warnock could afford a wry smile after watching his side keep their slim Championship play-off hopes alive. "The winners today were the two sets of fans," said the Leeds manager. "They were amazing from the touchline, the noise they made. It's a fabulous arena for a match, apart from the cold water in the showers afterwards. You'd think they'd fix it in two years. I've never had a warm shower here."
Regardless of water temperatures in the away dressing room, this fixture is something of an oddity on the football calendar – it has the tone and atmosphere of a derby, despite the clubs being separated by 200 miles.
Victory or defeat is the important thing, rather than the effect either has on the league table. Nevertheless, Ross McCormack's goal midway through the second half took Leeds to within three points of the play-offs (although those above have games in hand), while Millwall are five clear of the bottom three. Even so, only optimists and pessimists in the respective camps will envision their sides starting next season in a different division.
Warnock was not alone in enjoying the rambunctious nature of the day. "It's a passionate place, that's its appeal," said the Millwall manager, Kenny Jackett. "I love it, it's terrific. It has got that passion and it was there today. Not to me, because I'm disappointed, but to a neutral I'm sure it was a great game."
Sadly, in this regard, Jackett was mistaken. There was that raucous derby noise off the pitch, but a typically derby-esque scrap on it – a few feisty exchanges could not disguise the overall shortage of craft. The only moment of quality was enough to secure all three points, Robert Snodgrass's perfectly delayed pass to McCormack giving the striker a simple chance to bundle home from a couple of yards out.
Much of the rest was sound and fury. It took 80 seconds for the game to ignite. Snodgrass went thundering into a challenge with Millwall's Jack Smith and arrived late. Fans bayed for red, players surrounded the referee, Lee Probert, but the official remained calm and, once the dust had settled, issued the yellow card that the tackle probably warranted.
Either side of half-time frustration spilled into aggression. Millwall's Andy Keogh and Darren O'Dea of Leeds were the first to square up. Jimmy Abdou and Adam Clayton followed suit, then the home captain, Paul Robinson, and Luciano Becchio went briefly nose to nose. Tensions simmered constantly, but thankfully never boiled over.
Jackett might have done post-match after seeing his side denied an immediate equaliser to McCormack's 65th-minute strike. Within seconds of the goal, Millwall's Andy Keogh was tripped in the area and though Harry Kane lashed home the loose ball, Probert's premature whistle meant the home side had to score again from the spot. Darius Henderson failed to do so thanks to a superb low stop by Andy Lonergan.
The Millwall manager, though, was typically phlegmatic. "Usually you get the benefit of doubt," he said. "But there's nothing I can do about it now."
Soon after the penalty miss, Robinson's header clattered the underside of the bar from a corner, but the home side failed to muster the frenetic finish the atmosphere deserved
For Warnock and Leeds it was a fine response to the 7-3 humbling by Nottingham Forest at Elland Road on Tuesday. They were over-cautious at times – conceding seven at home to relegation-threatened opposition can do that to a side – but at least showed an appetite for the battle that was lacking in midweek.
"The thing about the Championship is you need to know what you're going to get out of your players every game," said Warnock. "I'm learning about these players all the time. And the crowd – what can you say? They're hostile, they gave me some stick. I think it's great. I hope they stay up because I like Millwall. Apart from the showers."