Millwall 3-2 Coventry

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Roland Nilsson's 11-match unbeaten First Division run came to a dramatic end as Millwall produced a late winner and David Thompson was sent off for City at the New Den.

The former Liverpool man was booked for two unnecessary challenges and was on his way back to the visitors' dressing room long before Richard Sadlier grabbed the injury-time winner.

Early on, both teams seemed content for a point, with the first meaningful attack coming after half an hour when Lee Hughes shot straight at Millwall goalkeeper Tony Warner.

Coventry kept pressing at the five-man Millwall defence with Laurent Delorge, Jairo Martinez, and Thompson all testing Warner.

The home side, on the back foot during the first period, were given a shot in the arm with the arrival of substitute Christophe Kinet at half-time.

Costly mistakes

However, Youssef Safri soon split the Millwall back four early in the second half for Thompson who screwed his shot just wide.

The hosts then built their own response. First Paul Ifill came close with a crashing volley after Sadlier had danced past the Coventry defence.

Then came a move goalkeeper Magnus Headman could do nothing about.

City could not clear their lines as David Livermore and Tim Cahill forced the ball into the box where Steve Claridge smashed home his eighth goal of the season.

Coventry came straight back into the contest and, little more than five minutes later they were level, as Thompson delivered a pinpoint corner for Martinez to head home.

Then, with Warner looking vulnerable to the long-range effort, substitute Jay Bothroyd took a pot shot and it skipped inside the upright.

Coventry skipper Gary Breen gave away a costly free-kick on the edge of the box allowing substitute Kinet to fire home.

Then Thompson saw red to give Millwall more impetus before the home side stole the points thanks to Sadlier's brave header.

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Millwall: Warner, Green, Nethercott, Ward, Dyche, Bull, Ifill, Cahill, Livermore, Sadlier, Claridge. Subs: Gueret, Ryan, Tuttle, Kinet, Savarese.

Coventry: Hedman, Edworthy, Konjic, Breen, Shaw, Delorge, Carsley, Safri, Thompson, Hughes, Martinez. Subs: Quinn, Goram, Bothroyd, Normann, Antonelius.

Referee: K Hill (Royston).