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| Crowd
trouble sparks inquest |
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| MILLWALL
star Dean Neal faces a late test before tomorrow's opening clash of the
season against Swansea at The Den.
The free-scoring
forward has been suffering with a trapped nerve in his neck and
yesterday trained for the first time this week.
But Millwall chief
George Graham said, "We'll have to take a close look at Dean and
see if he's ready."
If 23-year-old Neal
fails to make it youngster Teddy Sheringham will step into the Third
Division clash. Otherwise, Graham expects to name the line-up that
narrowly lost to Luton last week. Lindsay Smith is definitely out and
Les Briley is suspended. So midfield ace Tony Kinsella and defender Bill
Roffey will be the only summer signings to start the season.
Anton Otulakowski,
like Briley, is suspended for two matches. The Lions beat the united
Arab Emirates 3-1 in a
behind closed doors friendly on Tuesday.
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| Putting
the boot in: The new football season kicks off at the Den |
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| by Ian
Malin and Brian Stater
WIMBLEDON and Millwall
are waiting for the FA's verdict following crowd trouble at Saturday's
matches.
The FA disciplinary
chiefs will decide whether to take action once the match referees have
made reports of the incidents to Lancaster Gate. Two outbreaks of
violence marred Wimbledon's Second Division debut against Manchester
City at Plough Lane.
Visiting fans got in
to the home supporter's area and 48 arrests were made. Police say that
most face charges of threatening behavior and 37 of the people arrested
are from the Manchester area.
Wimbledon are close to
completing a £24,000 barrier which will divide home and away
supporters.
The incidents at
Millwall, where no arrests were made, followed the late arrival of a
coach load of Swansea fans. They ignored instructions to enter the
enclosure reserved for them and went into the Cold Blow Lane end.
Scuffles followed and 20 Swansea supporters climbed the touchline fence
to be escorted round the pitch.
A group of Millwall
supporters then came over the Ilderton Road end barrier, and further
fighting followed.
Millwall chief
executive Tony Shaw said, "In this instance it is possible that the
FA will decide not to take any action."
The FA yesterday
refused to comment until they have studied the referee's reports.
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| Millwall
(2) 2 Swansea (0) 0
by Brian Stater
BILL ROFFEY doesn't
score too many goals - but they're well worth the wait. The 30-year-old
full-back, making his Third Division debut for Millwall, hammered a
screaming 30-yard shot to wrap up the points in Saturday's opening
clash.
And afterwards he
quipped, "Don't expect that every week - if I score two goals a
season I think
I've done as well as lan Rush getting 40 goals for Liverpool!"
Roffey, who bit the
net just eight times in 328 League outings for Orient, his old club,
added, "When they do go in they tend to be spectacular. I either
miss, or score with a blockbuster."
The likeable former
Peckham schoolboy, who played in the First Division with Crystal Palace,
says he relished the new challenge offered by Millwall boss George
Graham this |
summer,
when a free transfer ended an 11 year spell with Orient.
Roffey's goal, just
seconds before half time, was an appropriate final flourish to 45
minutes of sparkling soccer. Sad Swansea, back in the Third Division
after suffering relegation for two successive seasons, were overrun as
the Lions clicked in to gear.
Kevin Bremner had
given Millwall a dream start, pouncing on the rebound of a Steve Lovell
shot to score after just five minutes.
Manager George Graham
said, "I've never seen us play so much football." The only
smear on an otherwise encouraging start to the season was the outbreak
of violence in the first half.
Millwall: Sansome,
Nutton, Roffey, Mcleary, Martin, Cusack, Lovell, Bremner, Neal,
Chatterton, Kinsella Substitute: Lowndes.
Referee: D. J. Axcell
(Southend). Attendance: 4.616. |

| Blaster
Bill: Millwall goal ace Bill Roffey (Centre) gets a hug from Nicky
Chatterton. |
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| Rip-Roaring
start at the Den |
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| Millwall
took just five minutes to open their account in the new season. But
sadly, less than ten minutes later the ref had to take the players off
the field because of skirmishes between rival supporters.
Visiting fans had been
let in the wrong turnstiles and were led down the touchline nearest the
Millwall fans and a few hotheads jumped down and started fighting.
Happily, it took less
than two minutes for order to be restored and the game was restarted and
played in good spirit.
Brilliance
Kevin Bremner started
and finished he move for the first goal. He sped down the left wing and
crossed the ball into the centre, where acting skipper Steve Lovell
crashed the ball onto the post. Bremner following up, planted it firmly
past Jimmy Rimmer.
Millwall began to play
some of their best football since George Graham took over and only the
brilliance of Rimmer kept the score down.
The home defence was
solid, with Bill Roffey making an impressive debut. |
Roffey
received just reward in the 44th minute when he rocketed the ball from
35 yards past the Swansea keeper.
Swansea, managed by
former Charlton skipper, Colin Appleton, changed their tactics in the
second half, with an extra man in midfield to press up on the Millwall
defence.
However, the Lions
back four were efficient and keeper Paul Sansome had little to do.
Graham said: "I
was pleased with our first half display, but we didn't get it right in
the second.
"It's great to
have won the first match of the season, but I kept the players behind
after the match and we went through the problems we had in the second 45
minutes and the mistakes we made.
Millwall: Sansome,
Nutton, Roffey, Mcleary, Martin, Cusack Lovell. Bremner, Neal,
Chatterton, Kinsella. sub: Lowndes.
Swansea: Rimmer,
Evans, Lewis, Rajkovic, Stevenson, Hughes, Saunders, Robinson, Loveridge,
Mardenborough, Pascoe. sub: McQuillan.
Ref: D. J. Axcell (Southend).
Att: 4,616 |

| Come
on you two, the season only five minutes old - you can't be
that tired. |
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