In the latest in what has felt like a succession of big games, United and Millwall came together at The New Den in a fixture that held huge implications for both clubs.

United, just two points ahead of their closest automatic promotion rivals, knew that 3 points would go a long way to calming the end of season nerves that were threatening to creep in, whislt Millwall, by no means safe from the drop, needed just one more point to preserve their League One status for next season.

Paul Arnison earned a recall, to deputise for the suspended David Raven, with Cleveland Taylor also slotting in to the right hand side of midfield, making his first start for four games.

The Lions were forced in to a late change themselves ahead of kick off when Lewis Grabban reported an injury picked up during the warm up, giving Bas Savage an opportunity to step up and shine. Ryan Smith took his place on the bench.

Millwall started brightly, lifted by the news from the Priestfield that Gillingham had been held to a draw, but their early balls in to the box were easily dealt with by Livesey and Murphy.

United were first to really trouble the target, though, when Hackney was felled by a wild challenge from Brkovic, 23-yards from goal. Bridge-Wilkinson took charge of it, but his dipping, curling effort bent just the wrong side of the post, although Evans was scrambling.

Karacan took Westwood by surprise in the 6th minute with a stinging drive that bounced awkwardly just in front of the unsighted Carlisle keeper. He parried, and had to recover quickly as both Harris and Savage raced in to mop up the pieces.

It was a terrific atmosphere, and the United fans were next to be brought to their feet when Dobie controlled a long ball forward on his chest. That took him beyond Robinson, and Laird had to guide the low cross in to the area behind for a corner as Graham arrived in support.

Jay Simpson used his pace to take him clear down the right, in the 11th minute, and his fizzed cross was a good one, angled towards the front post. Murphy got a toe to it, and he was relieved to see his intervention ricochet off the base of the post and go behind for a corner.

Murphy was again on hand to head that delivery, from Craig, over his own bar, and Westwood was able to sweep up the second cross as Robinson nodded it tamely down and in to his hands.

In typical end of season style the game became stretched, with chances at either end to open the scoring. Karacan, Harris and Simpson kept possession well in the 19th minute, carving a way down the United left, and Livesey did well to get something on the shot from Brkovic, deflecting it behind for a corner.

Straight up the other end and Lumsdon threaded a 30-yard pass in to the path of Hackney, who had taken a position tight on the right hand touchline. His first touch took him away from Frampton, and Robinson had to get across to block the low, near post cross.

Harris should have done much better on 22 minutes when Brkovic cushioned a pass in to his path, right on the edge of the box. He set himself, looking to pick his spot, but he could only send it high in to the stands as he leaned back on the shot.

The Lions were having their share of chances, and Robinson will feel that he should have made more of a weak Livesey clearance on 25 minutes as he found himself unmarked and with plenty of time, just 12-yards out. Westwood was able to smother it as the big defender failed to get any kind of power behind the drive.

Neil Harris did well to create space for himself in the 31st minute when he shrugged off the challenge of Murphy, deep inside the United half. He took it in to the box, and cut it back for Laird, but he couldn't find the spin he needed to prevent the block from Livesey.

Westwood was at his best in the 33rd minute when Harris yet again found space to exploit. Cutting inside he thumped a thunderbolt towards the top corner, from all of 20-yards out, only to find that the big keeper had selected an excellent starting position before leaping across to punch it away.

The Cumbrians were living on their nerves as they somehow blocked a powerful Frampton header on the line, only for Simpson to clip the ball back in to the middle. Robinson was there to meet that one, and Westwood was at full stretch once more to palm that effort away.

Bas Savage had half an opening on 40 minutes when a long ball forward fell between Westwood and Livesey. The keeper hesitated initially, but he did enough to make the lob difficult for the striker, who could only poke it hopefully towards the target.

The Lions had been asking questions for most of the half and they got their reward in the 42nd minute following a simple, but very effective move. Brkovic cushioned a long ball forward in to the path of the waiting Jay Simpson, and he found the bottom corner with a beautiful 20-yard volley that left Westwood with absolutely no chance.

Half Time: Millwall 1 - 0 United

Gary Madine replaced Cleveland Taylor for the start of the second period as John Ward threw everything in to getting something from the game. The switch took Dobie on to the right, pairing the youngster with Danny Graham up front.

Paul Robinson was in action early on when he stayed close to Livesey, from a Bridge-Wilkinson corner. It was a good ball in to the box, but the Millwall defender was there to block the attempt on goal.

Simpson was guilty of a wild finish in the 53rd minute when he found himself unmarked at the back post. Brkovic got it to him, but the lively wide man couldn't keep it down, blazing it high.

Things took a horrible turn for the Cumbrians in the 54th minute when Harris carried the ball in to the box. The experienced front man held on to it well, and invited the tackle from Livesey. Referee Mr Moss had no hesitation in awarding the spot kick, sending the United captain off in to the bargain. Harris kept his cool, stepping forward to smash the penalty home, and extended the lead to two goals with 35 minutes left to play.

Darren Campion was sent on to make his first team debut, plugging the gap in defence that had been left by the Livesey dismissal, but it was a diificult task for the visitors who had come up against the Lions in full flow.

Millwall then made it 3-0 in the 63rd minute when they used a simple corner routine to devastating effect. The far post delivery was nodded back in to the mix by Harris, and Tony Craig was there to head it over the line, from less than a yard out.

The game settled down, with the ball spending a lot of time in midfield, and a skewed overhead kick from Harris was the only thing to report from the ten minutes following the penalty.

Simpson put a cross-shot over the bar in the 78th minute, as he kept plugging away down the United right, and Brkovic tried one from distance in the 84th minute as the pace disappeared out of the game.

Harris brought a good save out of Westwood in the 90th minute, when he tried to squeeze a 22-yarder in via the near post, but the United stopper was down quickly to push it away, and the whistle blew on a disappointing day out for the Cumbrians.

Goals

Millwall - Simpson (42), Harris (55 pen), Craig (63)

Bookings

United - Livesey (54 - straight red card), Lumsdon (57)

Teams 

Millwall - Evans, Senda, Robinson, Craig, Frampton (Bignot 50), Simpson, Laird, Karacan, Brkovic, Harris, Savage. Subs - Edwards, Smith, Martin, Fuseini.

United - Westwood, Arnison, Livesey, Murphy, Horwood, Taylor (Madine 46), Lumsdon, Bridge-Wilkinson, Hackney, Dobie (Campion 59), Graham. Subs - Howarth, Thirlwell, G Smith.

Away fans - 1174