Millwall failed to make it three wins on the bounce for the first time under absentee manager Gary Rowett, as Barnsley keeper Jack Walton frustrated the hosts in 1-1 draw.

Walton pulled off a string of late saves to deny the Lions the three points, in a match that Millwall will feel they should have won.

At a wind-swept Den, Adam Barrett was on touchline duty with Millwall manager Gary Rowett in isolation, having tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday.

Perhaps his absence was to blame for the home side’s lacklustre first half performance.

The Lions were seeking their third consecutive league win for the first time under Rowett but lacked quality throughout a first half in which both sides struggled.

Barnsley looked more dominant for large parts without creating much, but eventually took the lead on 44 minutes.

Captain Alex Mowatt’s 25-yard volley flew into the top right corner to give the Tykes the lead. An altogether startling bit of quality given the previous 43 minutes.

The lead was short lived as Millwall drew level from a Connor Mahoney corner. Jake Cooper was on hand at the back post to nod home his first of the season on the stroke of half time.

There was a slight improvement from the home side in the second half as they began to trouble the Barnsley goal.

Mason Bennett met a dangerous Jed Wallace cross from the right to draw a fantastic save from Jack Walton in the away goal, who managed to turn the close-range effort onto the post on 56 minutes.

The introduction of loan signing Kenneth Zohore added much more attacking threat for the Lions as they pushed for a second.

The Dane held the ball up nicely and played in Bennett, whose cross was turned onto the bar by Scott Malone shortly before the 70th minute.

At the other end, Herbie Kane’s 30-yard free kick drew a good save from Bartosz Bialkowski. The 78th minute effort was as close as the away side got to the Millwall goal in the second half.

Walton will take home the man of the match award for this one, making two outstanding late saves to leave the game level.

In the 86th minute, he kept out Thompson from point blank range after a wild scramble. Minutes later he got a strong palm to turn over Zohore’s free header from 8 yards out.

Millwall will rue those spurned chances but overall didn’t do enough for the win against a poor Barnsley side.

 

Teams:

Millwall: Bialkowski; Romeo, Hutchinson, Pearce, Cooper, Malone; Leonard, Williams (Woods 75); J. Wallace, Bennett (Thompson 82), Mahoney (Zohore 66).

Subs: Fielding, M. Wallace, Bradshaw, Smith.

Barnsley: Walton; Brittain, Solbauer, Helik, Andersen, Oduor; Mowatt (Palmer 72), James (Thomas 66), Simoes (Kane 57); Frieser, Chaplin.

Subs: Collins, Woodrow, Schmidt, Williams.