Previews

Lions head into the den

Author: John Harris
Date: 22/03/2010
Football betting

Millwall's surge towards an automatic promotion place could hit the buffers when they visit second-placed Leeds United on Monday.

It appeared at the turn of the year that the promotion places in League One would be taken by two of Norwich City, Leeds and Charlton Athletic but the Lions' recent rise up the table combined with the Addicks' fall from grace has made the race that bit more exciting.

Since losing 2-0 to the Canaries on Boxing Day, Millwall have won ten of their 13 games with the only loss in that sequence being a surprising 1-0 setback at relegation-haunted Wycombe Wanderers.

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A total of 32 points from a possible 39 has catapulted Kenny Jackett's side from mid-table mediocrity to fourth place and a victory at Elland Road would move them to within three places of Leeds with just nine games of the season remaining.

Two-thirds of Millwall's points have come at The New Den though and they have only managed to win five of their 18 away matches, although four of those have come in the last two months at Oldham Athletic, Brighton, MK Dons and Carlisle United.

Steve Morison's goalscoring form has been one of the reasons for the Lions' recent upturn in form, the ex-Stevenage Borough forward has found the net five times in his last three appearances to bring his season's tally up to 14.

In addition, the evergreen Neil Harris has also weighed in with 12 goals, including a hat-trick in the 4-0 victory at Stockport County.

In contrast to Millwall's fine recent form, Leeds have struggled since their stunning FA exploits in January and February when they won 1-0 at Manchester United and drew 2-2 with Tottenham at White Hart Lane before losing the fourth-round replay at Elland Road to Harry Redknapp's side 3-1.

They have won only three of their 14 League One games since the turn of the year but remain second in the table, largely because of the inadequacies of the other promotion-chasing teams.

Jermaine Beckford has scored 21 goals in the league but only five of those have come in 2010, including a brace in the recent 4-1 victory at Tranmere Rovers.

Simon Grayson's team remain the online betting favourites to clinch promotion but it is not proving to be with a swagger as seemed to be the case in early January and, if they do lose to Millwall, the United fans may have to endure yet more play-off heartbreak in May.

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