Millwall 0-1 Huddersfield: Danny Ward seals important victory for Terriers in survival battle

Danny Ward scored the much-needed second-half winner as Huddersfield claimed a shock 1–0 championship win at play-off chasing Millwall, bringing a struggling side closer to safety.

It was the Terrier’s third away win of the season and the second since Neil Warnock took over for the second time last February.

They are now four points behind Rotherham, fourth from the bottom, with eight games of the season remaining, and have renewed hope in their battle for survival ahead of an international break.

On the other hand, it was a big missed opportunity for Millwall, who had narrowed their lead over seventh-placed Norwich to three points.

It took the hosts just five minutes to open up the first big chance of the game when Andreas Voglesammer turned up Murray Wallace’s cutback from the left flank.

The German midfielder should have hit the mark, but was quick to spring into action when Huddersfield goalkeeper Thomas Bacryk beat off Charlie Cresswell’s shot.

Following Cresswell’s right-sided footwork, Vakryk again had to be on the lookout to block Tom Bradshaw’s shot from close range.

Huddersfield then almost took the lead against the flow of play after 19 minutes when Jacques Rudoni shot from the edge of the area but Millwall goalkeeper George Long had to turn it back. .

Gian Fleming was relatively quiet for the Lions in the opening 30 minutes but came close to adding to his tally when he shot wide from just outside the area.

The visitors would have been happy enough to see Cresswell shoot harmlessly from afar, but Vaclik had to prevent Foglezammer’s strike and once again maintain parity in first-half stoppage time.

There was still time before the break for the Terriers to wave off a penalty appeal when Josh Coloma took a challenge from Danny McNamara and fell in the area.

Millwall struggled to create chances with regularity after half-time, with Fleming’s shot from distance showing they were limited.

Huddersfield then took the lead in the 67th minute when Ward, coming on for the injured Martin Waghorn at the end of the first half, attacked Ben Jackson’s cross at the near post and shot past Long.

The Lions continued to scatter while searching for a tie, cutting in from the right before their substitute Oliver Burke hit a wide shot.

The closest the home side came to breaking the Terriers’ hearts came in the seventh minute of injury time when one of their former players, Scott Malone, hit the crossbar with a cross from the left.