Blackburn Rovers 3-1 Millwall: Oladapo Afolayan scores twice in victory

The game hadn't kicked off before the first 'Venky's out' chants could be heard but Afolayan, who turned 29 on Friday, gave the home fans something to cheer with a deft improvised flick to open the scoring in the 41st minute.

Although Lydon Dykes' penalty levelled matters six minutes after the restart, Afolayan's thumping strike around the hour mark restored the lead.

Rovers managed the closing stages well and substitute Andri Gudjohnsen made the game safe in stoppage time with a breakaway goal to end a four-game winless run.

Millwall suffered their third league defeat in four, but will rue the header Dykes planted wide midway through the half.

The Lions made the more assured start but their only chance of note came in the 11th minute when Balazs Toth saved Camiel Neghli's low volley.

Todd Cantwell's snapshot forced Max Crocombe into a smart save but he could do nothing as Rovers went ahead.

Sam Morsy was given too much space just inside the area and though his shot lacked direction, Afolayan's ingenious flick steered the ball into the Millwall net from close range for his first league goal for the club.

The hosts made a disastrous start to the half when substitute Gady Beyuku's first contribution was to bring down Tairyk Arconte in the area after the attacker had stolen in behind on the left.

Dykes took responsibility from the spot and made no mistake, slamming his third of the season down the middle.

But Rovers responded in the 58th minute through Afolayan, who was given time and space to race forward from the centre circle, evading one challenge before rifling a left-foot shot into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

Arconte had the ball in the net after a long throw but the referee saw a foul in the melee.

Millwall continued to threaten and spurned two chances, both created by their full-backs.

First, Zak Sturge's low cross found Arconte, who could only divert wide on the stretch, before Mark Sykes sent in a superb right-wing cross that Dykes headed wide from close range.

Arconte threatened again in the 73rd minute when he turned Tom Atcheson inside out and raced into the area but Hayden Carter crucially deflected his effort over.

Tony Mowbray's side repelled the threats and struck the last blow in a counter started and finished by Gudjohnsen, who shielded the ball and released Jayden Fevrier who squared for the Icelandic striker to slot his third of the season into the bottom corner.

"I remember Afolayan playing for Bolton and he was really direct, positive and aggressive. He's a really bright and intelligent kid who loves football.

"He has an opinion on everything. Overly intelligent sometimes because overly intelligent people have an opinion on everything don't they? You might not always agree with them but that's what Dapo is and I like him because of that.

"When I say to him 'you're not working hard enough, when you lose it you've got to react', he has an answer and knows what I'm talking about. So I feel as though I can connect with him to make him the best version of himself because he understands.

"I like Dapo and that position (on the left), something we were potentially looking at, I'm more than happy with Dapo. He has got aspects he needs to learn and work on but he's a very intelligent kid and there's scope to get better out of him."

"The fourth official told me it (disallowed goal) was for Cooper holding which is incredible really because both of them are standing waiting for the ball to come in.

"Naturally you don't stand with your arms behind your side. I thought it was really soft.

"I thought it was for something in the box beyond the flick so for it to be for Coops holding which is what he said. But you know what it's like. Moments decide matches and I thought today summed that up.

"I didn't think there was a dominant team in the game. I didn't think we were great, I didn't think they were great, I just thought they were more clinical in moments than what we were during the match and sometimes at this level, that's the difference.

"Over the last 19-20 months since I've been here, we've been brilliant in both boxes. Unfortunately today, we weren't."

What the result means and next fixtures...