Cooper gives Millwall win over Blackpool

Published on: 28 August 2021

Millwall move clear of Blackpool in the Championship table

Jake Cooper headed a late goal as Millwall came from behind to beat 10-man Blackpool and earn their first league win of the season.

Blackpool played 75 minutes of the game a man short after Callum Connolly was sent off for dragging back Benik Afobe.

Shayne Lavery gave the visitors a shock lead but it was cancelled out by Jed Wallace's superb free-kick.

Then with time ticking down, Cooper nodded in a deep cross to earn the Lions the points.

Both teams had taken two points from their first four games, with Blackpool still finding their feet back in the Championship after promotion.

    Relive Saturday's EFL action as it happened

So they could have done without Connolly's early dismissal after he was deemed to be denying a goalscoring opportunity by pulling back Afobe.

Millwall could not make the man advantage tell and 12 minutes into the second half, Josh Bowler's driving run saw him set up Lavery, who drew a save before slipping the rebound home to put Blackpool ahead.

But hopes of a first victory at this level since January 2015 were short-lived as Wallace found the top corner from a free-kick six minutes later.

Millwall applied pressure late on - substitute George Evans forcing a save from Blackpool keeper Chris Maxwell - and it finally told when Cooper nodded in.

    Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text

Line-upsMillwall

Formation 3-5-2

33Bialkowski26Ballard3M Wallace5Cooper24Mitchell17Saville23Afobe6Kieftenbeld11Malone7J Wallace10Smith

    33Bialkowski26Ballard3M Wallace5Cooper24MitchellBooked at 50minsSubstituted forMahoneyat 58'minutes17SavilleBooked at 62mins23Afobe6KieftenbeldBooked at 74minsSubstituted forEvansat 84'minutes11MaloneBooked at 69mins7J Wallace10SmithSubstituted forThompsonat 90+2'minutes

Substitutes

    1Long8Thompson9Bradshaw15Pearce21Mahoney28Evans34Mitchell

Blackpool

Formation 4-4-2

1Maxwell2Connolly21Ekpiteta26Keogh29Garbutt11Bowler5James12Dougall10Anderson9Yates19Lavery

    1Maxwell2ConnollyBooked at 14mins21Ekpiteta26Keogh29Garbutt11BowlerSubstituted forJohn-Julesat 88'minutes5James12DougallBooked at 28mins10AndersonBooked at 74mins9YatesBooked at 62minsSubstituted forHamiltonat 77'minutes19LaverySubstituted forStewartat 67'minutes

Substitutes

    6Stewart16Carey20Casey22Hamilton23Grétarsson28John-Jules32Grimshaw

Referee:Gavin WardMatch StatsHome TeamMillwallAway TeamBlackpoolPossessionHome69%Away31%ShotsHome18Away10Shots on TargetHome7Away3CornersHome14Away1FoulsHome8Away7Live TextPost update

Match ends, Millwall 2, Blackpool 1.

90'+6'Full Time

Second Half ends, Millwall 2, Blackpool 1.

90'+3'Post update

Hand ball by Richard Keogh (Blackpool).

90'+2'Substitution

Substitution, Millwall. Ben Thompson replaces Matt Smith.

90'goalGoal!

Goal! Millwall 2, Blackpool 1. Jake Cooper (Millwall) header from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Jed Wallace with a cross following a corner.

89'Post update

Corner, Millwall. Conceded by Marvin Ekpiteta.

88'Substitution

Substitution, Blackpool. Tyreece John-Jules replaces Josh Bowler.

87'Post update

Offside, Millwall. Danny Ballard tries a through ball, but George Saville is caught offside.

87'Post update

Attempt missed. Danny Ballard (Millwall) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right following a corner.

87'Post update

Attempt missed. Matt Smith (Millwall) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Connor Mahoney with a cross following a corner.

87'Post update

Corner, Millwall. Conceded by Chris Maxwell.

87'Post update

Attempt saved. George Evans (Millwall) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jed Wallace.

86'Post update

Corner, Millwall. Conceded by Marvin Ekpiteta.

84'Substitution

Substitution, Millwall. George Evans replaces Maikel Kieftenbeld.

83'Post update

Corner, Millwall. Conceded by Luke Garbutt.

81'Post update

Attempt missed. Benik Afobe (Millwall) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Jed Wallace with a cross.

79'Post update

Attempt missed. CJ Hamilton (Blackpool) right footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Josh Bowler.

77'Substitution

Substitution, Blackpool. CJ Hamilton replaces Jerry Yates.

75'Post update

Attempt blocked. Benik Afobe (Millwall) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by George Saville.

74'Booking

Keshi Anderson (Blackpool) is shown the yellow card.

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Source: bbc.com

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