Sheffield United 0-1 Millwall: Josh Coburn secures win for Lions

Despite having 65% possession and 25 shots, the Blades could not cut through a watertight Millwall defence that was missing Japhet Tanganga.

For much of the first half the hosts’ attacks lacked any kind of cutting edge, with one of their best chances coming in the opening exchanges as the in-form Rhian Brewster flicked a corner just wide.

From then on it was the visitors who had the better of the opening 45 minutes, with their specialist away goalscorer Coburn netting his sixth goal of the season and his fifth on the road.

Billy Mitchell’s line-splitting ball found Casper de Norre on the edge of the box, with the Dane’s touch and swivel making its way to Coburn, who crashed it into the net beyond Michael Cooper.

Ben Brereton Diaz headed straight at Jensen and forced a big reflex stop from the Danish goalkeeper.

The Lions were value for their lead but with the half-time introduction of Rak-Sakyi the Blades began to tighten their grip in the game, with the Crystal Palace loanee scuffing wide at the end of a good team move.

United goalkeeper Cooper was spared the blushes of what would have been a comical own goal when his left-foot pass across his own box almost nestled in the corner of the net, just missing the far post and being tidied up by Anel Ahmedhodzic.

Ivanovic was then guilty of one of the misses of the season as Millwall continued to hit the hosts on the break.

Coburn’s square ball on the break found the Serbian striker alone in space.

He had time to take a touch, possibly two, to steady himself, yet opted to shoot first time from outside the box, with his weak effort comfortable for Cooper to save.

United continued to push for the equaliser but could find no way through Jensen, who produced a smart save to keep out substitute Tom Cannon’s long-range hit after Coburn had headed over for the visitors.

Rak-Sakyi could not quite get enough on his late effort to divert it the right side of the post, before Crama had visiting fans’ hearts in their mouths when he almost bundled the ball into his own net late on, as the Lions make a late charge at the play-off places.

Millwall have now beaten all of the three automatic promotion chasers this season.