Millwall 4-0 Bolton Wanderers: Lyndon Dykes scores twice for Lions as both sides finish with 10 men

The Lions made light of the fact they have 11 first team players currently unavailable - and that their last two games ended in heavy defeat - as they inflicted a third loss in a row on the Trotters.

A late burst of three goals in nine minutes gave the final score an emphatic look, while both teams finished with 10 men after Millwall midfielder Jenson Metcalfe and Bolton captain Josh Sheehan were sent off for violent conduct.

Bolton had a big chance to grab an early lead when Sam Dalby played a one-two with Sheehan before scuffing wide from inside the box.

The away side were growing in confidence as Sheehan had time to control before getting away a shot that was held by Millwall goalkeeper Max Crocombe.

But it was Millwall who claimed a much-needed lead in the 38th minute when Metcalfe hung up a corner to the back post where Caleb Taylor rose highest to head in.

Dykes almost doubled the advantage early in the second half with an audacious lob from 40 yards that Bolton goalkeeper Jack Bonham was relieved to see drop over his crossbar.

The Trotters then came close to an equaliser twice in the space of a minute, with Crocombe first having to make a good save to turn an effort from half-time substitute Ruben Rodrigues behind.

The resulting corner was then cleared as far as Xavier Simons who crashed a tremendous first-time strike from just outside the box against the bar.

Millwall then had a big chance to make the game safe when debutant Yanis Issoufou's backheel put Jordi Osei-Tutu through, but Bonham stood tall to make an important save.

Taylor then fluffed an opportunity to score his second after Metcalfe's free-kick was allowed to run through to him before Gale's shot across goal needed tipping behind by Crocombe at the other end.

The Lions then made the game safe in the 83rd minute when Bonham allowed Dykes to nick a harmless-looking Camiel Neghli long ball off his toes and walk the ball into the net.

There were then a pair of red cards three minutes later when Metcalfe and Sheehan were both sent off after getting into a fight.

Dykes added his second in the 88th minute when he beat Bonham at his near post after Zak Sturge had nipped in ahead of Max Conway in the Bolton area.

And there was still time for the Lions to score a fourth in stoppage time when Issoufou played the ball through for Neghli to apply a composed finish.

"As far as I'm concerned, the kid dragged his boot over the top of Jenson's head.

"I think Jenson thought he tried to kick him in the head - whether he did or not, the lad (Sheehan) can only answer that himself.

"After that, it was handbags, everybody starts coming in and it's just a kerfuffle.

"A week's a long time in football, isn't it? A week ago, we'd just come off the back of Bristol [City] and Norwich and we're all thinking 'here we go.'

"Then we lose a couple of games, we sell Femi [Azeez, to Brighton] at the end of the window, then we lose 10 or 12 players [to injury].

"So, it's been a testing week, and there's been a bit of frustration in that we can't put our best foot forward, in terms of competing and trying to win games.

"But I thought today was really important for us to have a good reaction."

"I think it's an unnecessary red card, on our point, because when Josh falls on top of Metcalfe and drags him on top of him, I was right in front of it.

"He hasn't made any movement to move his leg towards the player's head, it was just a natural sort of momentum, the way he falls on top of him.

"Then I think because of Metcalfe's reaction, and the way the melee happened, with so many players involved in it, the referee thinks it's more of an issue than it actually was.

"If they just zoom in and have a look at it, they'll see it, so hopefully that'll get rescinded.

"We lost a man to injury after we made all our subs, so that gave them a numerical advantage when we were chasing the game.

"Up until the 83rd minute, when Lewis Brunt went off [injured], we were more than a match for Millwall."

What the result means and next fixtures...