Pitch invasion casts a shadow over Millwall win

The match at The Den passed largely without trouble until Neil Harris scored the winner in the 70th minute on Saturday.

A handful of supporters ran on to the pitch to celebrate and one appeared to throw something in Casper Ankergren's face.

The Leeds goalkeeper was clearly upset and protested to referee Clive Oliver, who is likely to record the incident in his report.

Ankergren said: "There was something thrown at me. I didn't see what it was as I turned my back on it.

"It's very bad for football and Millwall should be punished. I was pushed in the back by one of the fans that came on the pitch, too.

"It should never happen, fans should not be allowed on to the pitch. I'm not sure what the security were doing as no one came to remove them.
"They are meant to be here to protect the players, it's not good enough."

The Metropolitan Police later confirmed that one supporter was arrested and he has subsequently been banned from the club.

Despite the flashpoint, West Yorkshire Police insist they have no fears ahead of the second-leg at Elland Road on Thursday.

A spokesman said: "There will be around 400 police officers on duty and they will be split into three operations.

"Inside and out of the ground and a traffic section controlling the 37,000 people all trying to get into the ground.

"Whenever Millwall play at Elland Road it is always a category C game, which means there will be the highest level of security."

Before Saturday's match, Millwall had never won in the play-offs in eight previous attempts.

It was somewhat fitting then that their all-time leading goalscorer hit the only goal.

Harris (right) was not even selected by manager Kenny Jackett in his starting line-up. But a 15th-minute injury to Jason Price saw the 31-year-old called off the substitutes' bench.

And he did not disappoint, as he and Gary Alexander set about tormenting the Leeds defence before finally making the breakthrough.

Alexander teed up Harris, who then turned Sam Sodje and fired past Ankergren.

The solitary goal could prove to be vital and gives Millwall the psychological edge ahead of the trip to Yorkshire.

But winger Dave Martin is refusing to rule out a comeback from Simon Grayson's side.

He said: "It would be massive for me and for Millwall but I think we deserve to be up there in the Championship.

"It has all come round so fast and it has not really sunk in yet.

"We are halfway to Wembley and have another game to play.

"We had achieved our target here but at Leeds it is going to be totally different. We have to get in their faces and close them down.

"We have done half the job. It's like half time in our eyes and the tie could still go either way."

If Millwall go on to secure promotion it would give Martin the chance to prove he is good enough for the Championship, just 18 months after he was sold by Palace.

The 23-year-old was a scaffolder playing part-time for non-League Dartford when he was signed by Palace in January 2007 but he made just 14 appearances for the club before being sold to Millwall 12 months later.

Martin has resurrected his career at The Den — the Leeds game was his 62nd for the club — and he revealed that his days on the building site spur him on today.

He said: "At Palace I never really got too much of a chance whereas at Millwall I have been given an opportunity and now I can finally show what I can do.

"I felt that although the club were in a division below, it was a step forward in my career.

"Going from a scaffolder to a professional footballer was a massive change in my daily routine.

"It was too good an opportunity not to play football for a living. I knew how badly I want to succeed because I never want to go back to doing what I did before. That thought drives me on.

"When you get up at five in the morning and work out in the pouring rain until 4 o'clock it makes me appreciate my role here at Millwall.

"I am now getting paid for doing something I love doing. It's the dream you have as a kid."

Two sides who are assured of their place at Wembley are Gillingham and Shrewsbury who will compete on 23 May for a place in League One next season.

Gillingham beat Rochdale 2-1 thanks to two goals from Simeon Jackson while Shrewsbury needed a penalty shoot-out to see off Bury.