Nottm Forest 1-2 Millwall

E-mail your reaction to Football Talk

First-half goals from Paul Ifill and Tim Cahill ensured Millwall beat Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

But Mark McGhee's side were desperately holding on at the end for their first win in five matches as Forest valiantly tried to earn a share of the points.

  Key moments

7 mins: Ifill scores for Millwall

42 mins: Cahill doubles the Lions' lead

87 mins: Harewood scores a penalty for Forest

The Lions led 2-0 at the break and at that stage Forest had no answer to the visitors' all-round strength.

But Forest were a different proposition in the second half - a late penalty by Marlon Harewood set up a frantic finale and with keeper Tony Warner producing a string of fine saves, Millwall held on.

The visitors took the lead in the seventh minute following some excellent play by Richard Sadlier.

He capitalised on a mistake by Riccardo Scimeca to wriggle into the box and set up an opening which Ifill prodded past Forest keeper Darren Ward.

Christophe Kinet and Cahill went close to adding to Millwall's lead as the Lions continued to threaten the Forest goal.

And Cahill, who had already seen a header tipped over by Ward, scored in the 41st minute to give Millwall a two-goal cushion when he headed home from Kinet's corner.

It could have got worse for the home side before the break but Ward saved from Ifill and Cahill's follow-up was deflected wide.

Dominant Forest

Forest stepped up the pressure in the second half and most of their opportunities fell to Harewood, whose touch let him down on more than one occasion as a goal beckoned.

Warner saved full-length from David Prutton and produced another fine stop after Harewood had cut in from the left and released a stunning drive.

Forest were eventually rewarded four minutes from time when an attempted cross from Andy Reid struck former Forest player Sean Dyche on the arm and Harewood despatched the resulting penalty.

There was still time for Warner to make another splendid save from Harewood as substitute Jack Lester pressed forward in search of an equaliser.

---

Nottm Forest: Ward, Brennan, Hjelde, Scimeca, Thompson, Reid, Williams, Prutton, Summerbee, Jones, Harewood. Subs: Lester, Roche, Gray, Dawson, Cash.

Millwall: Warner, Ryan, Nethercott, Dyche, Lawrence, Kinet, Cahill, Livermore, Ifill, Harris, Sadlier. Subs: Ward, Gueret, Bircham, Bull, Naylor.

Referee: C Webster (Co Durham).