U21 REPORT: MILLWALL 1-0 BURNLEY

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Clarets edged out by senior Lions side at The Den

2023-04-03T11:30:00.000Z

U21 REPORT: MILLWALL 1-0 BURNLEY

Clarets edged out by senior Lions side at The Den

2023-04-03T11:30:00.000Z

U21s PREVIEW: MILLWALL VS BURNLEY - Image 1

Burnley’s U21 side put on a spirited performance, but lost out 1-0 to a highly experienced Millwall side who sit top of the Southern Section in the Professional Development League.

Tyler Burey scored the only goal of the game for the hosts with 70 minutes on the clock, leaving the Clarets 4th in the Northern Section with four games remaining in the league this term,

Denis Franchi returned in goal for Burnley at The Den as one of two changes to the starting 11 from last week’s 1-1 draw at home against Peterborough United. A trialist was the other to come in with Charlie Casper & Joe Bauress the pair to drop out.

Franchi’s opposite number, Millwall’s Bartosz Białkowski, is a Polish youth international with over 400 Football League appearances to his name. He was one of a number of senior figures named by the hosts in a highly experienced side.

First Half

Dealt an early blow, Burnley lost Marcel Lewis to injury early on. Renaldo Torraj eventually replaced him, though play resumed while the Clarets were down to 10-men and in the meantime, they had conceded an indirect free-kick which yielded a corner for the hosts.

U21 REPORT: MILLWALL 1-0 BURNLEY - Image 1

Torraj helped to deal with the resulting set-piece, with Millwall’s pressure continuing as Burey struck over and Nana Boateng struck wide.

Joe Westley was inches away from connecting with Brad Grant’s low cross at the other end before centre back Shaun Hutchinson glanced over for the Lions and Alex-Healy Byrne’s last-ditch block denied them a certain opener.

Busy throughout, Franchi pulled off a superb double save to keep out strikes at point-blank range from both Romain Esse & Bennett, and minutes later he saved from the latter one-on-one. The Italian also kept out Nino Adom-Malaki before the break.

U21 REPORT: MILLWALL 1-0 BURNLEY - Image 2

Second Half

Early on in the second half, Esse had the ball in the net for Millwall but was denied by the offside flag. Franchi then denied Bennett oncemore following a wayward pass back to him and Scott Malone fired over on the volley.

On 56 minutes, the Clarets themselves were denied by a contentious offside flag when Westley slotted past Białkowski having been put through on goal by Welshman Tom Tweedy.

Efforts continued without note at both ends, and Tweedy’s low drive was tipped around the post by Białkowski, before Burey scored the only goal of the game with 20 minutes remaining as he pulled off a smart improvised finish at the back post.

U21 REPORT: MILLWALL 1-0 BURNLEY - Image 3

Late on, Albanian youth international Torraj brought Białkowski into action oncemore with another low shot and the same man was denied a leveller with a last-ditch block from a corner. His attempted dink from range also dropped just wide with the last action of note.

The U21s are back in action on Thursday with a friendly at the Burnley Training Centre against an XI from Cornell University (1pm KO).

Burnley: Franchi, Healy-Byrne, Sassi ©, Turner (Otegbayo ’84), Grant, Davies (Gromek ’84), Hugill, Trialist (Ashton ’84), Lewis (Torraj ‘8), Westley, Tweedy

Unused Subs: Moss

Millwall: Białkowski, Adom-Malaki, Malone, Evans, Hutchinson (Hvid HT), Okoli, Esse, Mitchell (Allen ’61), Bennett (Leahy ’56), Boateng, Burey (Drozd ’71)

Unused Subs: Wright

Goals: Burey, ‘70

Main Image Credit: Millwall Football Club