Bradford City vs Millwall. Sky Bet League One Play-Offs Final.
Wembley StadiumAttendance53,320.
Sunday 21 May 2017 07:23, UK
Steve Morison struck late to fire Millwall back into the Sky Bet Championship with a 1-0 play-off final victory over Bradford at Wembley.
Twelve months on from being beaten in the League One final by Barnsley, Neil Harris' side recovered to seal their place back in the second tier for the first time since 2015, with Morison's contentious 85th-minute winner proving the difference.
Replays suggested that the veteran striker may have strayed slightly into an offside position as he converted from close range late in the game on Saturday, denying Bradford a potential return to the Championship for the first time since 2004 in the cruellest of fashions.
Millwall dominated the early stages at Wembley, attempting to use their aerial threat to hurt their opposition, but it was from a Lions corner that Bradford sprung a counter and should have got the opener after 13 minutes.
A quick attack saw Mark Marshall feed a divine ball through to Billy Clarke, but he couldn't find the strike to beat Jordan Archer, the Millwall goalkeeper getting across superbly to make a vital save.
The Lions were two goals down after just 19 minutes in last year's final against Barnsley, a situation from which they couldn't recover, and they would have been happy to get to the break goalless as Bradford dominated the rest of the half.
James Meredith tested Archer with a well-struck drive from inside the penalty area and Hutchinson got his head in the way of a curling Tony McMahon's free-kick that appeared destined for the top corner but neither of those opportunities were not as clear-cut as Clarke's.
Bradford applauded en masse in the 56th minute in tribute to those who lost their lives in the Valley Parade fire disaster - a salute that was warmly reciprocated by Millwall supporters.
Back on the pitch, Stuart McCall's side created another opening just minutes later but though McMahon floated a perfect ball into the path of Rory McArdle, he could only head over while unmarked from six yards.
That opportunity seemed to wake Millwall up a little, and they then should have taken the lead themselves three minutes later as Lee Gregory slipped the ball in behind for Jed Wallace, but he could only drag his effort wide of the post
Their pressure would pay off finally, though, in the 85th minute as they found the winner, with Morison diverting the ball into the net at the back stick after his strike partner Gregory had nodded the ball into his path, sending their fans wild and the Lions back into the second tier.
