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Morison opens the door for Wembley return

Millwall 2 Huddersfield Town 0 (Millwall win 2-0 on aggregate)

Andy Sims
Wednesday 19 May 2010 00:00 BST
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(GETTY IMAGES)

Steve Morison and Paul Robinson booked Millwall another trip to Wembley after sinking Huddersfield to reach the League One play-off final.

Morison was sporting a hefty bandage following a nasty clash of heads in Saturday's goalless first leg at the Galpharm Stadium, but Millwall's summer signing from Stevenage left the visitors' defence with a headache as he hit his 23rd goal of a great debut season. Robinson, the Millwall captain, ensured there would be no late comeback from a disappointing Town side with a late header.

The Lions will face Swindon a week on Saturday as they attempt to bury their play-off hoodoo – they have missed out on promotion in their previous five attempts, including last year when they lost 3-2 to Scunthorpe at Wembley.

Backed by a raucous crowd at The Den, Kenny Jackett's side went at Huddersfield from the off and Robinson glanced a Neil Harris cross wide before Morison's header was saved by Alex Smithies. The Town keeper then had to dive at full-stretch to claw away a deflected 20-yard drive from Jimmy Abdou.

However, Huddersfield had only themselves to blame when Millwall took the lead midway through the first half. Left-back Robbie Williams misjudged Tony Craig's high ball allowing Danny Schofield to race to the byline and his low cross was palmed by Smithies straight to the feet of Morison, who made no mistake from six yards.

The home side should have been two up five minutes later when Morison this time wandered into space down Huddersfield's left, but defender Jack Smith blasted his cut-back narrowly wide. Morison also headed Scott Barron's corner over the top as a one-sided first half came to a close.

Barron came agonisingly close to doubling Millwall's advantage midway through the second half when his angled drive crashed back off the angle of post and crossbar. But despite Millwall only holding a narrow lead, Huddersfield never looked like getting back into the game with their 23-goal striker Jordan Rhodes hardly having a kick. Instead Lee Novak had the best of their all too rare chances, firing straight at Millwall keeper David Forde in the first half and blazing over the crossbar in the second.

The Lions were not unduly troubled though and they secured a second successive appearance in the final with eight minutes remaining. Barron swung in another dangerous corner and Robinson rose highest to power his header past Smithies and spark a night of celebration in south-east London.

Millwall (4-4-2): Forde; Smith, Robinson, Ward, Craig; Schofield, Abdou, Trotter, Barron; Morison, Harris (Alexander, 89). Substitutes not used: Sullivan (gk), Frampton, Fuseini, Laird, Batt, Obika.

Huddersfield Town (4-4-2): Smithies; Peltier, P Clarke, Trotman (N Clarke, 83), Williams; Pilkington (Eccleston, 76), Drinkwater, Kay, Roberts; Novak, Rhodes (Robinson, 57). Substitutes not used: Eastwood (gk), Collins, Goodwin, Simpson.

Referee T Bates (Staffordshire).

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