Millwall 2 Huddersfield Town 0: Terriers' Wembley dream is over

YORKSHIRE'S hopes of having a seventh representative in next season's Championship last night bit the dust amid a cacophony of noise in the capital.

Goals from Steve Morison and Paul Robinson were enough to condemn Huddersfield Town to another season in the third tier and send Millwall to Wembley.

The Terriers, after failing to claim an advantage from Saturday's first leg at the Galpharm Stadium, were always facing an uphill battle to reach the May 29 final.

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Not only did the Lions lose just once on home soil all season, but their Den home is without doubt the most intimidating arena in English football.

That was evident throughout last night with the already excited locals being whipped up into a frenzy ahead of kick-off by the PA system belting out 'London Calling' by The Clash and Millwall's club anthem 'Let 'Em Come'

The intention was clear, to put pressure on not only the visitors from Yorkshire but also the officials.

And it has to be said, the tactic worked a treat – especially in a one-sided first half in which Town, who seemed to miss out on every 50-50 decision, were lucky to escape with just a one-goal deficit.

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Millwall's players were not above trying a few psychological tricks of their own, either, with Sky TV even having to apologise to viewers at home after a microphone picked up captain Paul Robinson's swearing when rallying his troops in the tunnel before the game.

Once play was underway, wily veteran Neil Harris also tried to unsettle Neal Trotman with a couple of early digs off the ball, something that led to the Town defender complaining in vain to both referee Tony Bates and the visiting dugout.

Whether it was the blatant attempts at intimidation or not, there was little doubt Huddersfield were a pale imitation of their usual attacking selves in the opening 45 minutes.

Gone was the usual fluid style of football associated with Lee Clark's side, replaced by an emphasis on getting the ball forward as quickly as possible – an approach that played right into the hands of Robinson and Darren Ward, the Lions central defensive pair that had been so impressive in the first leg at the Galpharm Stadium.

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On the few occasions when Town did get into a promising position, a rushed pass or wrong decision saw play suddenly break down.

The upshot was home goalkeeper David Forde only being called into action twice during the first half, once to turn away a 20-yard drive from Lee Novak and then when he had to claw a cross from Anthony Pilkington to safety from under his own crossbar.

It was a different story at the other end with Alex Smithies having a busy half amid the incessant noise generated by the home fans in a crowd of 15,463.

His first save came on eight minutes when Morison, sporting a bandage after coming off second best in an aerial challenge in the first leg, headed a Scott Barron free-kick goalwards.

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Smithies then had to turn away a long-range Jimmy Abdou effort before Millwall took a deserved lead on 23 minutes.

Danny Schofield was the creator after latching on to a clever chipped pass down the right flank, the former Town midfielder drilling a cross that Smithies could only divert into the path of Morison who finished from close range.

Millwall, clearly lifted by going ahead, continued to tear into the visitors as the ever-dangerous Morison set up Jack Smith only for the right-back to shoot narrowly wide.

There was another let-off for the visitors seven minutes before the break when Barron's delivery from a set-piece again caught the Town defence out and an unmarked Morison headed over.

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The second half was a more even affair with the Terriers, at last, posing an attacking threat.

Gary Roberts was the first to go close on 57 minutes when, after collecting a loose ball in the Lions' penalty area, he hit a shot over the crossbar.

Neat play between Daniel Drinkwater and Lee Peltier then culminated in the full-back whipping the ball across the six-yard box where only a faint touch from a defender prevented Novak from capitalising.

As improved as Town were after the break, however, Millwall also continued to pose a threat with the excellent Barron wriggling through two challenges before firing a shot against the post.

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Morison then also went close before the Wembley-clinching second goal arrived on 82 minutes when Robinson rose high to thunder a Schofield corner past Smithies.

The game was now up for Town, who will now miss out on a trip to Wembley and the chance of taking on Sheffield United, Hull City, Middlesbrough et al in the Championship next season.

Millwall: Forde; Smith, Robinson, Ward, Craig; Schofield, Abdou, Trotter, Barron; Morison, Harris (Alexander 89). Unused substitutes: Sullivan, Frampton, Fuseini, Laird, Batt, Obika.

Huddersfield Town: Smithies; Peltier, P Clarke, Trotman (N Clarke 83), Williams; Pilkington (Eccleston 76), Drinkwater, Kay, Roberts; Novak, Rhodes (Robinson 58). Unused substitutes: Eastwood, Collins, Goodwin, Simpson.

Referee: A Bates (Staffordshire).