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Kevin's
fitness battle
INJURY-plagued
midfield ace Kevin O’Callaghan will continue his fitness battle
tomorrow, when
Millwall reserves take on Reading.
O'Callaghan
was forced to miss the whole of Millwall's preparations after picking up
first a stomach
strain and then a hamstring injury.
But the £80,000 summer
signing from Portsmouth came through last week's reserve game with
Watford unscathed, and has an outside chance of being fit in time for
Saturday's clash with his old team Ipswich. |
"Kevin
has a reasonably good level of general fitness but he has missed
a lot of work and it is too early to say whether he will he ready for
Saturday said manager John Docherty.
The
Doc is still waiting to field all his four close season signings in the
same side, but he is reasonably happy with the Lions start despite
Saturday's 3-1 defeat by Bradford City.
"We
never really reached the stand we set ourselves against Birmingham and
consistency is what it's all about," he said. |
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Millwall
fans get a chance to rub shoulders with the players when the Lions stage
their Football League Centenary Fun run on Sunday week.
Most
of Docherty's first team squad will he taking part in the two and a half
mile run which starts and finishes at the Den. Team entries from firms,
pubs, clubs and schools are welcomed and there will also he a special
prize for the wackiest dressed runner. The entry fee is £2 for adults
or £1 for juveniles under
the age of 16, and entry/sponsorship forms are available from the
club or from the SLP.
All
proceeds will go to local charities. |
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Call-Up
For Kevin?
Kevin
O’Callaghan is hoping to convince Millwall manager John Docherty that
he is fit enough to make his Lions debut against Ipswich tomorrow.
O'Callaghan,
who joined Ipswich from Millwall for £250,000 in 1980, is desperate to
play against his old club after an injury-plagued start to his second
spell at the Den.
A
stomach strain and a hamstring injury forced him to miss the whole of
Millwall's pre-season preparations, but he has got two reserve team
games under his belt and is anxious for a first team call-up.
"Kevin
looked very good in training on Thursday morning and I will have to
weigh the situation up carefully," explained, Docherty.
"The
fact that we are playing against Ipswich could give Kevin an extra lift,
but against that we played very well in our last |
home
match and it might not he right to change things.”
"We
have talked quite a bit about what happened at Bradford and the
importance of getting back into the sort of spirit and determination we
showed in our last home match against. Birmingham," added the Doc.
"It
always takes time for new players to fit into the side and we have
picked up some niggling injuries,
but I am still reasonably pleased with the way the things are
going."
Striker
Tony Cascarino will be anxious to improve his tally of one goal in seven
games against Ipswich - one of the posse of clubs who showed an interest
in him before his £220,000 move to Millwall during the summer.
But Cascarino and
Millwall could he frustrated by a miserly defence that has so far only
conceded two goals in six second Division matches under new-manager John
Duncan |
Cup
tie all-ticket
THE
away leg of Millwall's Littlewoods Cup tie with First Division leaders
Queens Park
Rangers
on Wednesday, September 23, will he an all ticket affair. Loftus Road
officials decided to impose ticket restrictions after drastically
reducing the size of the visiting supporters enclosure during the,
summer.
"It
is not that they are expecting any trouble, it is purely for the
convenience and comfort of our own supporters," stressed Millwall's
chief executive Graham Hortop.
Tickets
for the attractive second round tie will be available before and after
tomorrow's clash with
Ipswich, or from the Den during normal office hours. The match is
scheduled to kick off at 7.45 p.m., aid Millwall have no plans to make
the return leg on Tuesday, October 6 all ticket.
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Millwall
v Ipswich
JOHN
DOCHERTY is a bit anxious that his talented Millwall side are becoming a
little like the West Ham of old -brilliant one week, disappointing the
next. After thrashing Birmingham they flopped in the first half against
Bradford By the time they picked up in the second half, the game was
beyond them. Docherty, however, believes his players have learned their
lesson.
Verdict:
Millwall to make up the ground they have lost. |
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| MILLWALL
(1) 2 |
IPSWICH
(0) 1 |
| Walker
31 |
Brennan
52 |
| O'Callaghan
83 pen |
Att:
6,356 |
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Walker Tall: Alan accepts the acclaim |
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| Ratings:
Horne ***, Stevens ***, Sparham ****, Hurlock *****, Walker ****,
O'Callaghan ****, Byrne ***, Briley ***, Sheringham ***, Cascarino
***, Salman **** Booking: Stevens
Referee: Alan
Seville Match Rating 4 |
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John
Docherty must he longing for the day when he can pencil all four of his
expensive summer signings onto the some team sheet. No sooner had Kevin
O'Callaghan declared himself fit to face his old club, than defender
Steve Wood limped out of the limped out of the reckoning with a
hamstring injury.
And
the Lions' preparations were disrupted still further when George
Lawrence was struck
down with a stomach infection and advised not to play by the club's
doctor.
Small
wonder then that "the Doc" could scarcely conceal his delight
after watching his makeshift side make it three wins out of three in
front of their own supporters.
Unsung
"It
wasn't exactly the ideal preparation losing Steve and George, but
somebody up there must me
because thankfully Kevin was ready just when we needed him most,"
said Docherty.
O'Callaghan's
fairytale to the Den may have grabbed all the Sunday paper headlines,
but Millwall's unsung heroes deserve the Lion's share of the credit.
Danis "I'll play
anywhere" Salman proved an invaluable asset is by
slotting into an unfamiliar centre halves that it wasn’t until the
second half that Ipswich managed a serious shot on Goal.
And
David Byrne, who takes more than his fair share of stick from the Den
boo boys ran himself into the ground
after being drafted in as a last-minute replacement for Lawrence.
Tony
Cascarino sent one blistering shot over the top from an improbable angle
and had another effort charged down as Millwall, bubbling over with
ideas dominated the early exchanges.
Ipswich
survived the onslaught for half an hour but their resistance cracked
when |
O'Callaghan,
displayed his dead ball expertise with an inch perfect corner which goal
hungry centre half Alan Walker power-headed past Jon Hallworth.
But
things changed dramatically after the break with the introduction of
Neil Rimmer in place of the ineffective Mich D'Avray.
Salman
was adjudged to have bundled Dalien Atkinson off the ball in the 52nd
minute after an unfortunate mix-up with teenage full back Sean Sparham
had presented the Ipswich striker with a rare opening.
Inept
And
Salman's frustration at referee Alan Seville's decision turned to despair
when Brennan powered
a 20-yard free kick past Horne and into the bottom left hand corner
But
Docherty has instilled plenty of spirit and determination into his side
and after Teddy Sheringham had rattled the crossbar with a superb
sprawling header the stage was set for O'Callaghan's late penalty
heroics.
The
livewire midfielder skipped past three defenders and when Tony Humes
ended his progress with a cumbersome challenge the only question mark
was over who would take their penalty.
Both
Cascarino and Sheringham clearly fancied their chances, but Docherty
handed the responsibility to O'Callaghan and the Eire international
gleefully crashed the ball into the roof
of the net.
"I
am delighted for Kevin because he has 'had a pretty miserable time of
it," said Docherty afterwards.
"I
thought it was an excellent result and an excellent performance. Terry
Hurlock and Les Briley were outstanding in midfield, Danis Salman looked
like Franz Beckenbauer at time and what about my 18 full back.” |
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| Millwall
2 Ipswich
1 By Kevin Nolan |
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SORELY
missing the services of the injured George Lawrence and Steve
Wood, reshuffled Millwall's challenge to Division Two's leaders
was spluttering badly with five minutes of this scrappy game left.
Comes the hour,
comes the man. Former Lions' cub Kevin O'Callaghan making a
satisfactory Millwall Mark II debut after a series of frustrating
injuries produced precisely the skills which persuaded manager
John Docherty to bring him back to his roots.
His penetrating
solo run pierced the heart of Ipswich's defence until Humes
crudely hacked him down ten yards from goal. O'Callaghan picked
himself up, dusted himself off and exacted revenge with a perfect
penalty.
Players with
close control running directly at defenders - it's sort of obvious
when you think about it. Make room Diego, Kev's back!
Puny
Earlier on
another of O'Callaghan's abilities - dead-ball kicking - had
contributed to the Lions taking a deserved lead on the half-hour.
His latest murderous corner was power-headed home by Walker,
despite Harbey's acrobatical goalline efforts. At that point,
Millwall threatened to run away with it. With Walker easily
handling the puny challenge of D'Avray and Hurlock showing there's
more to his midfield repertoire than ferocious ball-winning, it
was looking a doddle
That kind of
superiority has to be turned into goals, of course, and though
Cascarino and Sheringham seemed able to turn the cumbersome
Cranson at will, a lack of ruthless finishing sent the visitors in
for their half-time tea still fancying their chances.
Rimmer replaced
D'Avray and the talented but frustrating Dozzell was pushed
forward in the search for an equaliser. The move nearly paid
immediate dividends as Horne had to alertly leave his line to
block Dozzell's progress. |
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| Ipswich
'came again and Salman needlessly - and obviously obstructed
Atkins. Punishment once again fitted the crime as Brennan struck
Zondervan's tapped free-kick low past Horne from 30 yards.
Millwall's
concentration wavered alarmingly and only Walker's fine recovery
tackle denied Atkinson. Briley's reckless challenge on Brennan was
less acceptable and earned him booking by referee Abbott. His name
joined that of Stevens cautioned for a first half foul on
Zondervan, though Mr Abbott's displeasure may not have been
unconnected with an earlier incident, when the right back crashed
the ball into his back to stress his disagreement with decision.
Before hobbling
off injured, Atkins name was also taken but this was never a dirty
game and fitting, somehow, that it was decided by a moment of
supreme skill.
With two
difficult-looking away trips coming tip, O'Callaghan's late
flourish was invaluable in keeping Millwall in touch with the top.
His relief was obvious as he paid tribute to manager Docherty's
patience during his injury problems.
"He's been
really nice about it telling me to keep my head up. He could have
got the hump over it,' admitted O'Callaghan.
Patience, they
say, is its own reward Anything over and above is a bonus which is
probably how the Doc will regard O'Callaghan's highly promising,
second coming. Another prodigal Lion's returned to his den. Cue
the Born Free music!
Millwall: Horne,
Stevens, Sparham, Hurlock, Walker, Salman, O'Callaghan, Byrne,
Briley, Sheringham, Cascarino. Subs not used: Morgan Carter
Ipswich:
Hallworth, Stockwell, Harbey, Atkins (Woods 80 mins), Dozzell,
Cranson, Zondervan, Brennan, D'Avary (Rimmer 46 mins), Atkinson,
Humes.
Referee: R
Abbott Att: 6,356 |
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King
Kev KO's his old mates
Millwall
2 -1 Ipswich
Debut
boy Kevin O’Callaghan returned to the Den to torment his old club
Ipswich.
O'Callaghan,
an £85,000 close season buy from Portsmouth grabbed one goal and
made the other as Millwall roared to the third straight home win.
He
belted home an 82nd minute winner from the penalty spot after
O'Callaghan himself had been dragged down by Ipswich defender Tony Humes.
O'Callaghan,
starting his second spell with Millwall also made the first goal after
31 minutes.
He
swung in a corner and Alan Walker row unchallenged at the far post to
send a rocket header keeper Jon Hallworth.
But
Ipswich levelled six minutes after the interval with their first away
goal of the season.
Ian
Atkins rolled a free kick to Mark Brennan who drilled it in from 30
yards.
But
the Lions kept plugging away O’Calllaghan coolly swept in the penalty
to keep them amongst the early Division Two pace setters.
Ipswich
boss John Duncan admitted: “I’ve got no complaints - from where I
was sitting it certainly looked like a penalty. We could have won the
game in the second half, but we just didn’t compete in the first 45
mins.” |
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