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Millwall 1, Leeds United 0
LEEDS United will have to come from behind again as they did last year if they are to reach the Coca-Cola League One play-off final after losing 1-0 to Millwall this afternoon.
This time they have the advantage of being at home for the return match, but they were disappointed to lose the opening leg of the semi-final to a single goal scored by Millwall's record scorer, Neil Harris.
Leeds edged the first half without scoring and were worth at least a draw, but fell to a sucker punch in the 71st minute when a long ball caught the defence out and Gary Alexander's low cross was misjudged by Richard Naylor, allowing Harris space to fire past Casper Ankergren.
Ankergren had kept Leeds level earlier with a terrific one-handed save to deny Harris after the home striker had produced a clever back flick, but Millwall only managed two shots on target in the whole 90 minutes to show that they were never a massive threat.
Disappointingly, Leeds' finishing was weak at times and Millwall keeper David Forde was rarely stretched, his best save coming in the opening two minutes when he got down to keep out Jermaine Beckford's strike from the edge of the box.
Beckford was denied by a great last-ditch tackle by Whitbread and also carved out a chance for himself with a clever turn only to shoot wide while striker partner Luciano Becchio headed one effort wide and sent another into the hands of Forde.
Manager Simon Grayson sent on Bradley Johnson and Andy Robinson in a bid to change fortunes late on, but United produced nothing in attack in the closing stages and the game petered out with Millwall happy to settle for taking a one-goal advantage into next Thursday night's second leg.
Match facts
Millwall 1
(Harris 71)
Leeds United 0
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Coca-Cola League One play-off semi-final, first leg
Att: 13,228
Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Craig, Whitbread, Frampton, Laird (Henry 45), Abdou, Bolder, Martin, Alexander, Price (Harris 15).
Leeds: Ankergren, Douglas, Sodje, Naylor, Parker, Snodgrass (Robinson 83), Kilkenny, Howson (Johnson 78), Delph, Becchio, Beckford.
Referee: Clive Oliver
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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