Millwall 0 Norwich City 0

Last updated : 06 December 2003 By Footymad Previewer

Second-place Norwich City were held to a goalless draw in a fiery encounter at The Den against a Millwall side which finished with 10 men.

In an action packed first half it was the home side who started well and Tim Cahill came close to giving The Lions a dream start though his low drive was superbly turned around the post by Norwich keeper Robert Green.

However after that early scare Norwich began to dominate proceedings and when Darren Huckerby sent Ian Henderson clear through only a last ditch tackle from Matt Lawrence prevented the striker from firing on target.

The visitors felt they had good claims for a penalty minutes later when Paul McVeigh went down in the box, but the referee waved play on.

Still Norwich came forward and they came desperately close on 22 minutes when McVeigh won possession and bore down on goal. His shot from an acute angle was well saved by Tony Warner but the ball looped up into the air where eventually Peter Crouch saw his header cleared off the line by Darren Ward.

Huckerby on his return to the new Den having had a lone spell back in 1996 was proving to be a constant threat to the Millwall backline and having been sent scurrying through with only the keeper to beat saw Warner block well.

Millwall though got back into the game as the half elapsed and will wonder how they didn't go into the interval in front. A great cross from David Livermore playing in an unfamiliar left back role saw Nick Chadwick's header produce a spectacular one-handed save from Green who was then quick enough to somehow smother the rebound before a third attempt was blocked by the defender.

The second half continued in the same manner with chances being created at both ends. Within the first minute McVeigh saw his acute lob land on the roof of the net before the home side replied when Peter Sweeney teed up sub Kevin Braniff who placed his shot over.

However after that the pace of the game dropped as the exertions of the first half began to tell resulting in wayward passing and a scrappy encounter.

It was replaced with a greater intensity on the pitch and with 80 minutes on the clock Millwall saw there hopes of taking the three pointes all but vanish when Kevin Muscat received his marching orders for picking up his second yellow card a lesser offence for a cynical challenge on Huckerby.

However Chadwick had a chance to steal the win for the ten men in stoppage time, having found himself clean through he fired straight at Green.