Millwall 1 Bournemouth 0

Last updated : 14 October 2006 By Footymad Previewer
Millwall midfielder Chris Hackett struck in first-half stoppage time to ensure Kevin Bond's first game in charge of Bournemouth ended in defeat.

Bond took on the managerial post at Dean Court on Thursday and followed in his father's footsteps after John Bond's spell with the Cherries in the 1970s.

But despite pushing hard for a second-half equaliser, Hackett's strike was enough to boost Millwall's caretaker manager Willie Donachie's chances of landing the job at the New Den on a permanent basis as he wrapped up his third straight win.

The home side started the brightest with on-loan striker Danny Haynes using his pace to great effect. But it took ten minutes before Millwall registered a shot on target.

Marvin Elliott's shot was only half-cleared by the Bournemouth defence and Samy-Oyame Mawene fired a shot from the edge of the area straight at keeper Gareth Stewart.

Bournemouth striker Leon Best then did well to out-muscle Richard Shaw before firing a shot goalwards which keeper Lenny Pidgeley saved awkwardly with his chest before Tony Craig cleared to safety.

And after Millwall striker Poul Hubertz smashed an angled volley just over the bar after Shaun Maher's misplaced header, the game livened up with two minutes left of the first half.

First Millwall failed to clear Darren Anderton's tempting free-kick into the box and Warren Cummings saw his curling right-foot shot come back off the post.

And then with just seconds of the first half left, a fine move started by Chris Hackett ended with the midfielder putting Millwall in front.

He played in Haynes down the right and, after his chipped shot was well saved by Stewart, the ball fell kindly for Hackett to tap into the empty net from the edge of the area.

Millwall continued where they left off after the interval and almost caught Bournemouth napping just seconds in.

Alan Dunne's free-kick from the right found Haynes unmarked only for his header to drift wide of the right-hand post.

The lively Best looked like Bournemouth's best attacking option and the on-loan Southampton striker almost created an opening on 62 minutes when he spun Maurice Ross in the box only to see his left-foot shot deflect wide.

Anderton then stung Pidgeley's fingers with a long-range free-kick before the former Tottenham man volleyed agonisingly wide after Millwall failed to clear Stephen Purches' long throw.

Haynes wriggled free at the other end with 15 minutes left but screwed his shot wide before James Hayter blew a golden chance to earn a point for Bournemouth when he headed Steve Fletcher's knock-down over the bar from only four yards out.