Swift penalty earns West Brom draw at Millwall

29 Mar 2024
John Swift's penalty equaliser was his eighth goal of the season - but only his second in six months

West Bromwich Albion stretched their unbeaten run to seven games as John Swift's second-half penalty earned the Championship play-off hopefuls a point at Millwall.

Millwall vs West Brom - Figure 1
Photo BBC Sport

Millwall were ahead on 21 minutes when Duncan Watmore found himself in the clear, before clipping home a confident right-foot finish from the edge of the box as Albion keeper Alex Palmer came off his line.

It was only Watmore's fifth goal for the Lions since being signed from Sunderland by then-Millwall boss Gary Rowett on transfer deadline day in January 2023.

But the Baggies levelled when an innocent-looking challenge by Joe Bryan in the right corner of the penalty area on Grady Diangana left the Albion midfielder down on the grass.

Saturday's live Championship action, as it happens

Swift took full advantage of referee James Bell's decision to award a spot-kick as his low right-foot effort from 12 yards found the bottom left corner.

Albion remain fifth, where they have been rooted for the last four months, while Millwall, who have lost just once in six games since Neil Harris returned as manager, stay 16th.

Millwall had chances to go further ahead, notably when Palmer saved from Michael Obafemi, before Watmore fired over early in the second half.

But Albion were more of a threat after the break following the interval introduction of Tom Fellows for Andi Weimann.

All of Duncan Watmore's three goals this season have come at The Den

And the hosts were made to pay when Diangana won Albion that equalising Swift penalty - his eighth goal of the season - but only his second since October.

The Baggies were almost ahead moments later when Alex Mowatt was picked out on the edge of the box by Fellows but his strike did not trouble Millwall keeper Matija Sarkic.

Millwall vs West Brom - Figure 2
Photo BBC Sport

There was no grandstand finish from the visitors to round off a heated encounter as Albion extended their unfortunate record of not having won on Good Friday to 21 games - going all the way back to 1930.

Who's next?

Both sides are back in action on Easter Monday, when Albion host Watford and Millwall go to almost-relegated bottom club Rotherham United.

Line-ups
Millwall

Formation 4-4-2

20Sarkic18Leonard6Tanganga5Cooper15BryanBooked at 5minsSubstituted forMcNamaraat 81'minutes39HoneymanSubstituted forLongmanat 76'minutes8MitchellSubstituted forDe Norreat 89'minutes23Saville19WatmoreSubstituted forNorton-Cuffyat 89'minutes21Obafemi10FlemmingSubstitutes2McNamara3M Wallace4Hutchinson11Longman12Mayor17Norton-Cuffy24De Norre25Esse33Bialkowski
West Brom

Formation 4-2-3-1

24Palmer2Furlong5BartleyBooked at 17mins4KipréBooked at 60minsSubstituted forAjayiat 73'minutes3Townsend35Yokuslu27Mowatt7J WallaceSubstituted forThomas-Asanteat 62'minutes11DianganaSubstituted forPhillipsat 81'minutes23JohnstonSubstituted forSwiftat 63'minutes17WeimannSubstituted forFellowsat 45'minutesSubstitutes6Ajayi10Phillips14Chalobah19Swift20Reach21Thomas-Asante22M'Vila31Fellows33Griffiths

Referee:James Bell

Attendance:17,856

Match Stats
Live Text

Match ends, Millwall 1, West Bromwich Albion 1.

Second Half ends, Millwall 1, West Bromwich Albion 1.

Foul by Matt Phillips (West Bromwich Albion).

Ryan Leonard (Millwall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Darnell Furlong (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Ryan Longman (Millwall).

Substitution, Millwall. Brooke Norton-Cuffy replaces Duncan Watmore.

Substitution, Millwall. Casper De Norre replaces Billy Mitchell.

Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Dan McNamara.

Corner, Millwall. Conceded by Matt Phillips.

Foul by Alex Mowatt (West Bromwich Albion).

Michael Obafemi (Millwall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Matt Phillips replaces Grady Diangana.

Substitution, Millwall. Dan McNamara replaces Joe Bryan because of an injury.

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Delay in match because of an injury Joe Bryan (Millwall).

Offside, Millwall. Michael Obafemi is caught offside.

Substitution, Millwall. Ryan Longman replaces George Honeyman.

Attempt blocked. Grady Diangana (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Okay Yokuslu.

Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Semi Ajayi replaces Cédric Kipré because of an injury.

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