ISSUE
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AIDEN O'Brien
EVERYTHING IN PLACE FOR LIONS TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS
CONTENTS EXCLUSIVE
4 12 20 38
PREVIEW
AIDEN O’BRIEN: EVERYTHING IN PLACE FOR LIONS TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS
BARNSLEY
OPINION
NEWS
2015 YEAR REVIEW
INTERVIEW ONYEDINMA: I DON’T TAKE THINGS TOO SERIOUSLY
MATCH REPORT SOUTHEND 0 MILLWALL 4
8 18 24 40
BYRON WEBSTER NEWSATDEN PLAYER OF THE MONTH
INTERVIEW
HARRIS PRAISES MILLWALL FANS AND ADMITS IT’S BEEN A “TOUGH” YEAR
MATCH REPORT MILLWALL 0 WALSALL 1 3
EVERYTHING IN PLACE FOR LIONS T0 ACHIEVE SUCCESS By John Kelly
©Charlie Compitus
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IDEN O’Brien says he knows in his “heart” that Millwall are good enough to gain promotion from League One this season.
O’Brien got back in the scoring groove at Roots Hall, netting a neat fourth goal with his left foot to decorate a promising individual and team performance.
The Lions are three points off the top six after Monday’s 4-0 win at Southend but have a game in hand on, though an inferior goal difference to, sixth-placed Peterborough Untied.
And the 22-year-old attacker believes everything is in place for Millwall to mount a promotion challenge. “I know we’re capable as a team,
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we’re capable of big things in this league,” O’Brien said. “I’m not saying it’s going to be easy and that we’re going to get automatically promoted because there are a lot of good teams with us like the Coventrys, the Sheffields, there’s a lot of competition.
playing up front alongside his more experienced colleague He explained: “Steve’s a dominant threat in the air, good with the ball. He’s a good player to play with. He’s experienced and as you saw against Southend I’ve headed it to him and he’s seen me run past him and picked me out with a beautiful ball, credit to Steve for that.”
“I know that in my heart we can get promoted out of this league. We’ll do it this year or next. We’ve got the potential, we’ve got the players, we’ve got the staff and everyone that we need.
O’Brien, who has scored six of his 10 goals this season from a position on the wing, has admitted he sees himself as an out-and-out striker. But he stresses he doesn’t mind where his manager Neil Harris picks him as long as he is in the starting line-up.
“We just need to knuckle down, concentrate and get the wins in – that’s all that matters.” O’Brien partnered Steve Morison up front in the absence of Lee Gregory at Southend, and the Lions looked well balanced with the attacking impetus of Fred Onyedinma on the right wing – where O’Brien has found himself stationed a number of times this season – and Ed Upson tucking in on the left to give the side more defensive security in the midfield.
“I enjoy playing wherever the gaffer puts me, I just want to play,” he said. “I don’t want to be on the bench, in the stand, I just want to be on the pitch doing what I do best. Whether that means I’m playing on the wing, whether that means I’m playing up front, so be it. “I’ve scored a lot of goals on the wing this season as well as up front so I can’t really complain. I just want to keep playing and playing and making myself a better player.”
It was Morison who threaded a supreme ball through to his striker partner to set him up for his first goal in nine games, and O’Brien admits he enjoys
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PREVIEW:
BARNSLEY By John Kelly
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Onyedinma will also have fond personal memories of facing the Tykes. He scored twice against Lee Johnson’s side in a 3-2 defeat at The Den in August.
IDFILEDER JIMMY Abdou will come back into the reckoning for a place in the starting line-up for this weekend’s visit to Barnsley.
Barnsley suffered a remarkably bad run in October and November when eight league defeats on the spin left them above only Crewe in the table.
Neil Harris confirmed after the 4-0 thrashing of Southend last Monday afternoon it was always his intention to make changes to his side whatever the result was against Walsall on Saturday.
That wretched sequence convinced Johnson to dip into the emergency loan market and the November arrivals of defenders Aidy White from Rotherham and Kevin Long from Burnley contributed to an upturn in form.
Abdou, 31, ran further during that 1-0 defeat than any other Millwall player in any game this season and, after such a long spell out injured, Harris didn’t want to risk him at Roots Hall.
Three wins in six has lifted them out of the relegation places to nineteenth place, but they haven’t kept a clean sheet in eighteen games stretching back to a 2-0 win over Gillingham in September.
As it turned out, with the Lions roaring into a 3-0 lead before half-time, Harris had the relative luxury of being able to give Abdou a complete rest. Shane Ferguson was also left on the bench before coming on as a second-half substitute and he will be pushing Ed Upson for a place on the left of midfield.
Only bottom side Colchester have conceded more goals than Barnsley, and with Millwall’s confidence high after that rampant display at Southend, Harris’ players will be confident of starting 2016 on a high.
Harris might be reluctant to change a winning team, so it will be no surprise if he selects the same side that so comprehensively ended Southend’s eightgame unbeaten run in the league.
Form Guide (Last five games): Barnsley: DDWLW Millwall: LWLLW Match odds: Barnsley 19/10 Draw 12/5 Millwall 7/5
Monday’s win over Harris’ former club marked a return to form for a number of players, including goalscorers Joe Martin, Shaun Cummings and Fred Onyedinma. The latter scored his fourth goal this season and played a part in two others, making Harris’ decision whether to restore Abdou to the starting eleven that bit more difficult.
Probable Millwall team: 4-4-2: Forde; Edwards, Webster, Beevers, J Martin; Onyedinma, Williams, Saville, Upson; Morison, O’Brien. 9
2015 YEAR REVIEW JANUARY Millwall’s wretched run of form shows no sign of improving as 2014 turns into 2015. There is a potential silver lining on an ever-darkening cloud as the Lions draw with Bradford and the winners are drawn against Chelsea. However, Ian Holloway’s side absolutely blow it – Mark Beevers is sent off early doors and the Bantams spank their Championship opponents 4-0. To make matters worse the FA levels charges against both clubs for failing to control their players. League form provides no comfort blanket. Fellow strugglers Blackpool win 1-0 at Bloomfield Road before Mick McCarthy’s Ipswich hand out a 3-1 sacking at The Den. Sid Nelson is sent off in a 0-0 draw with Reading before a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest through Ricardo Fuller’s late goal still leaves them two points adrift of safety. Holloway is upbeat, saying: “The boys have to be together and I am proud of their efforts. Let’s get back on the bus and look forward to the next game.” FEBRUARY Paris Cowan-Hall, Shaun Cummings and former Bayern Munich striker Stefan Maierhofer have arrived on permanent deals as Holloway tries desperately to save his job. But they lose 3-1 at home to Huddersfield despite Maierhofer’s first-half equaliser. It’s Millwall’s ninth game without a win at The Den. Dan Harding, Diego Fabbrini, Michael Tonge, Jos Hooiveld, Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Jordan Archer are also brought in on loan in January and February. Alan Dune’s goal for a 1-0 victory over Birmingham at St Andrew’s is a second away win in a row – but it doesn’t signify a turnaround in fortunes. They lose three of the next four including a damaging 2-1 defeat to relegation rivals Rotherham United. A 3-1 home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday stretches their winless run at home to 12 games. MARCH The axe hovers ever more ominously over Holloway’s head after Middlesbrough dismantle Millwall 3-0 at the Riverside. Still, chairman John Berylson gives his manager his backing, telling NewsAtDen: “Results have been disappointing but we do have one of the most experienced managers in the game and we have just rebuilt the team. “I don’t believe that a change of manager would lead to different results. The players are working with him so we’ve got to hope that he can pull it off like last year.” Six days later, however, those words ring hollow. After Norwich win 4-1 at The Den in the next game Holloway is sacked. Berylson later admits that the club wanted to wait until after the fixtures against Boro and Norwich when a new man would have a relatively easier introduction to the top job.
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That new man turns out to be an old favourite as Millwall’s record goalscorer steps up from his role coaching the U21s to take over the first team. Neil Harris’ first game in charge ends in a 2-0 defeat to Bolton, but his side secure a clean sheet and a point in the next game against Brighton. Millwall then blow a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw away to Brentford but Harris has already made an impact. APRIL The feelgood factor continues as Millwall win at home at the 15th time of asking. After Alou Diarra gives rivals Charlton the lead, Magaye Gueye levels before Jos Hooiveld scores the winner three minutes from time in front of almost 15,000 fans. A win over Wigan lifts hopes that the club can avoid relegation but a defeat to Blackburn and draw against Derby looks like it has sealed their fate. However, they are handed a lifeline when Rotherham are docked three points for fielding an ineligible player. That leaves a point between the clubs but, crucially, Rotherham have a game in hand. And the Lions’ relegation to League One is confirmed when Steve Evans’ side beat Reading 2-1. Harris and Dave Livermore, meanwhile, are confirmed as the club’s permanent manager and assistant manager. MAY Millwall sign off their season with a 4-2 defeat to Wolves. Harris makes a strong statement about his future vision for the club by including seven players who came through the academy in the matchday squad. One of them, Jamie Philpot, scores with his first touch in a senior Millwall shirt but then goes off injured. Harris begins his squad rebuilding work by releasing 18 players, including long-serving captain Alan Dunne, who joins Leyton Orient later in the summer. JUNE Joe Martin and Archer join the club on one- and two-year deals. The Lions want to sign Bradford City striker James Hanson and the striker initially seems open to a move south. However, his boss Phil Parkinson cuts short his holiday and convinces Hanson to stay with the Bantams. Millwall are also frustrated in their efforts to buy Alfie Mawson from Wycombe, and the young centre-back eventually chooses to join Barnsley. In a shake-up of the underage set-up, Justin Skinner is named U21 manager, while former Ireland striker David Connolly joins Larry McAvoy as joint U18 boss. Former Tottenham defender Chris Perry is named U16 coach. 13
2015 YEAR REVIEW JULY Millwall secure the signing of number one defensive target Tony Craig. He joins the Lions for a fourth time on a two-year deal from Brentford. He joins his new – and some old – teammates as they jet off to Portugal to ramp up pre-season preparations. The first pre-season friendly before the new season is at Bromley. Harris includes new signings Martin and Archer as goals from John Marquis and Ben Thompson give Millwall a 2-1 lead before Craig’s own goal. The Lions then draw 1-1 at AFC Wimbledon before Beevers’ goal gives them a 1-0 win at Teddy Sheringham’s Stevenage. AUGUST Harris gets his top striker target when another old favourite, Steve Morison, pens a oneyear deal for his third spell with the club. Shane Ferguson also joins on loan from Newcastle United. Morison is straight into the starting line-up and scores as Millwall begin their bid to get back into the Championship with a come-from-behind 2-1 win at Shrewsbury. Lee Gregory is also on target and Ferguson makes his debut. But that’s as good as August gets. Barnet knock them out of the League Cup before Coventry, Barnsley and Chesterfield all win at The Den. David Forde is dropped after the Barnsley defeat and Jordan Archer is handed his competitive debut as Paddy Madden lets Millwall off the hook with a late penalty miss in the 0-0 draw at Scunthorpe. Millwall sit in 19th place in the table at the end of the month. SEPTEMBER It’s a much better month for Millwall as they kick it off with a last-gasp win over Peterborough in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy thanks to Shaun Williams’ last-minute goal. Aiden O’Brien then scores a brilliant hat-trick in the 3-1 win at Crewe before the first of a sequence of long trips away on Tuesday nights in the first part of the season ends in success as goals from Beevers and a last-minute Gregory penalty seal a 2-0 win at Port Vale. Southend score from their only two shots on target in a 2-0 win at The Den but it’s back to winning ways as Jimmy Abdou gets his first of the season as Rochdale are swatted aside 3-1. A 2-2 draw at Wigan leaves Harris’ side 12th in the table with 14 points from 10 games.
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OCTOBER Midfielder George Saville joins the Lions for a second time, on loan from Wolves. Harris is dealt a blow when Ed Upson and Abdou suffer serious injuries in the 5-3 defeat to Peterborough. But there are signs of big improvement as Saville makes his debut in the 2-0 JPT win over Northampton that kicks off a nine-game unbeaten run. Millwall beat Swindon, Sheffield United and Doncaster in the league before a hardfought 0-0 draw with Bradford moves them to within one place and two points of the top six. However, in bravely blocking a shot from Hanson, club captain Tony Craig seriously damages his knee and he is ruled out for most of the season. It’s a massive blow for Harris who had seen the partnership of Craig and Beevers start to blossom. NOVEMBER Forde makes his first appearance since August as Millwall initially struggle against AFC Fylde in the first round of the FA Cup before O’Brien’s introduction is the spark for a 3-1 win. There is also progress in the JPT when Gregory scores four goals in a 5-3 win over Plymouth at Home Park. Millwall extend their unbeaten run with a 4-1 hammering of a very poor Colchester side. Next up is another long journey north to face struggling Fleetwood. The away side are sluggish from the start and Fleet tear into their opponents to win 2-1 despite Byron Webster’s late consolation. Williams scores his third of the season in a 1-0 win over Bury that leaves them seventh in the table, two points behind Peterborough. DECEMBER The most difficult month of the season with six games in 27 days starts off with a controversial defeat to Burton when O’Brien has what looks like a legitimate goal ruled out for handball. Beevers is then sent off in injury time for a harmless tackle on the goalkeeper. Millwall are awful in the second round of the FA Cup against Wycombe, losing 2-1, but they progress to the area final of the JPT and just one round from Wembley after a 2-0 win over Southend. League woes continue, however, as successive home defeats to Gillingham and Walsall drift them further away from the top six. It doesn’t look like it’s getting any easier with a trip to in-form Southend, but the Lions save the best for last with a 4-0 win to end the year three points off the play-off spots and with a real chance to push for promotion. 15
Stat's that... BY JAY TAYLOR
Mark Beevers has the highest percentage of successful tackles to tackles made. The Defender has won 46% of his 121 challenges this season. ŠMillwallFC
55 1-1 21 12 3-2 1-0 4-1 1947
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Millwall and Barnsley have met 55 times in their history, stretching back to January 10, 1925. The Lions first meeting with the Tykes was in the FA Cup Third Round, where the game ended 1-1, with Barnsley winning the replay 2-1, five days later.
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Millwall have won 21 games of the 55, with Barnsley winning the same amount.
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There have been 12 draws between the two sides in those 55 previous meetings.
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The last time the two sides met was on August 18, 2015, Barnsley ran out 3-2 winners at The Den.
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The last meeting at Oakwell between the two sides was in the Championship and it ended in a 1-0 win for Barnsley thanks to an early Jim O’Brien goal on February 22, 2015.
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The biggest winning margin in this fixture came on February 28, 1931, where Millwall oversaw a 4-1 victory of Barnsley at The Den.
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That was also Barnsley’s biggest margin of victory over the Lions, coming on April 5, 1947.
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The Tykes are currency 19th in the Sky Bet League One table, on 24 points, having won seven games, drawing three and losing 23 of their 23 games. Millwall are ten places above their opponents currently three points outside the Play-Offs on 34 points. This time last season, after 23 games, The Lions were sitting 21st in the Championship, on 23 points - three points above the relegation zone - having won five games and drawing eight. Steve Morison has participated the most scoring attacks this season with 17, that’s 49% of all of Millwall’s goals. Fred Onyedinma has been involved in the most successful dribbles of any Millwall player this season, completing 60 go the 126 attempted, that’s 47% of his dribbles. Shaun Williams boasts the highest average of passes in 90 minutes for Millwall this season with an average of 52 passes, completing 76% of them. Barnsley trail Millwall by 11,800 in Twitter followers. The Tykes have 42,900 to the Lions 54,700.
NEWSATDEN DECEMBER PLAYER OF THE MONTH:
BYRON WEBSTER By Jay Taylor
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ILLWALL’S Byron Webster has been voted NewsAtDen’s Player of the Month for December.
The Lions centre-half carded the highest average score of 6.97 in NewsAtDen’s player rating system in the four games he was involved in during November, including winning our Man of the Match award on two occasions, both against Southend. Webster put in consistent performances during the month, winning 75% of his 193 defensive challenges. The 28-year-old former Yeovil Town defender was also involved in four scoring attacks during his four games during the final month of 2015. He was outstanding at Roots Hall in the 4-0 win over Southend at Roots Hall on Monday afternoon, typifying the defensive desire his boss Neil Harris spoke about when he flung himself at Joe Pigott in the box in the second half to help his side to a clean sheet.
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MILLWALL'S ONYEDINMA: I DON'T TAKE THINGS TOO SERIOUSLY By John Kelly
RED Onyedinma will continue to combine a laidback attitude with his natural work ethic as he establishes himself in the Millwall first team.
Arguably one of Onyedinma’s most impressive displays this campaign was the one against Sheffield Untied when he was pressed into some urgent defensive work as Millwall ground out a 2-1 win at Bramall Lane.
The 19-year-old was one of the Lions’ standout players in the 4-0 win over Southend on Monday, scoring once and playing a part in goals for Joe Martin and Shaun Cummings.
He started Millwall’s first 11 fixtures of the season but has faced sterner competition in the last two months with Aiden O’Brien, Shane Ferguson and Ed Upson also battling for places in the wide areas.
Onyedinma made his Millwall debut against Southend when he was just 17 in a 4-1 defeat in the FA Cup first round in January 2014.
And Onyedinma is focused on developing both the defensive and attacking aspects of his game as Millwall aim to keep up the challenge for a top-six spot heading into 2016.
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He was one of the club’s best performers in August and September and scored Millwall’s first two league goals at The Den this season in the 3-2 defeat against this weekend’s opponents Barnsley.
“The more games you play the more you think about which decision is the best to make,” he said. “As a forward you should obviously think about your defensive
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responsibilities but you’re there to win the game for your team as well. “Sometimes you could cheat (and rest) and it could benefit you but you’ve got to think about your role defensively. “The way I am, I don’t take things too seriously so I think that helps me. If I lose the ball then the next time I’m not going to lose it, I’m always confident and try to do things. If it works, it works and for a defender if they think, ‘He’s still going’ they start getting annoyed and panicky.” Onyedinma also explained the targets he sets for himself before each contest and the benefit of experience he is quickly accumulating having started 28 games already this season. “As a winger you should try and aim for at least five to seven crosses a game,” he said. “Sometimes people expect you to be every time at 100 per cent. Obviously some days it’s not going to happen. For me, even if it doesn’t go my way I’m still trying to work hard and do my bit for the team. “It’s experience, you just have to know when to make the right run with the right timing. When you make a run at a certain time it could be a crucial one and you could score from that. So you just have to time it, really.”
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HARRIS PRAISES MILLWALL FANS AND ADMITS IT'S BEEN “TOUGH” YEAR By John Kelly
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EIL Harris revealed his admiration for the fans who travelled to Roots Hall for Millwall’s 4-0 win over Southend on Monday.
The majority of the 10,099 in attendance would perhaps have expected Southend to extend their eightgame unbeaten run at home given also Millwall were on a three-game losing sequence in the league.
tough year. To be relegated is tough but we’re building for the long term, not for today, not for tomorrow. It’s not about the Southend performance, it’s about where we’re going in the next two, three, four years. “It’s great to see Fred on the scoresheet and perform outstandingly well. Aiden O’Brien is back, and that’s great because he’s had a little low. That’s how important it is, though, and they’re our future.
Instead, the contest was as good as over at the break as goals from fullbacks Joe Martin and Shaun Cummings and winger Fred Onyedinma put Harris’ side 3-0 ahead. Aiden O’Brien got the fourth in the second half, his first in nine outings.
“If the players can perform like that week in, week out it gives us encouragement. Yes, it was a difficult first period of the season and we’re having ups and downs at the moment – but we’re going to continue with what we’re trying to achieve.”
Harris paid tribute to the fans who made the trip, and reaffirmed his belief that the club are on the right track.
Harris also gave an interesting insight into the mood of the squad the day after the disappointing 1-0 defeat to Walsall.
There were officially 1,745 Lions supporters in the stadium – and they enjoyed the added bonus that the three first-half goals were scored into the away end.
“It was brilliant – nearly 2,000 fans in the ground,” Harris said. “It’s been a
The Saddlers dominated possession 25
in the opening stages of the game and went ahead through Milan Lalkovic’s 29th-minute goal.
“(On Monday) the chances fell our way and we put them in the net.” Onyedinma’s close-range finish against Southend was his first goal since the 2-2 draw at Wigan at the end of September and the youngster had been finding it difficult recently to replicate the form he showed earlier in the season.
The Lions forced their way back into it after the break and came close to equalising when O’Brien’s header struck the crossbar. But Harris said that despite ending the year on a losing note at The Den, the spirit of his squad didn’t suffer.
Onyedinma, who only turned 19 in November, has already played 28 times this season and was also involved in two of the other goals on Monday afternoon.
He explained: “Funnily enough, we got beaten against Walsall but we were really positive. We came in (Sunday) and the place was buzzing.
Afterwards, Harris compared him to two legendary former Millwall wingers, describing his attacker as “unplayable”.
“And I just said to the guys, ‘They’re top of the league for a reason – four years they’ve been planning for that.’ They play a style with the football, it’s a defensive style and they don’t give goals away.
Harris said: “Supporters are so keen to do well, as keen as me, as keen as Fred. Fred’s in the same mould as Paul Ifill, Steven Reid. He’s a wide player who’s going to give the ball away. We ask him to be exciting. Our fans don’t want him to give the ball away… but when he gets it and runs with it they’re (cheering).
“For large parts of the game we were better than them. It was a big effort without the ball but we had countless chances and didn’t take them against Walsall. “They were upbeat, they knew they’d performed really well, especially in the second half. We showed them some clips of our shape when Walsall had the ball and they played a lot backwards and sideways.
“We understand that and Fred understands that. It’s my job and my coaches’ job to make sure he retains the ball more often than not. “But Fred’s brilliant. He’s the future. He wants to play every minute of every game. When he’s on song he can be unplayable.”
“The stats proved that we had efforts on goal and that they defended really well. We got beaten but the boys weren’t down. I knew we had to be positive, but I knew we had to freshen the team up because some of the boys couldn’t go again.”
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MI LLWA LL'S O' B RI EN HA PPY TO FI NALLY P EN ET RAT E “ F ORC E F I E LD ” By John Kelly
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ILLWALL’S Aiden O’Brien was pleased to be back on the scoresheet at Southend – and admitted it felt as if there was a “force field” protecting the opponent’s goal lately. games up front alongside captain Steve Morison, and he finally got his reward for his hard work when he raced onto his strike partner’s precise through ball in the 70th minute to finish across goalkeeper Daniel Bentley before covering defender Adam Barrett had the chance to get a block in.
O’Brien scored Millwall’s fourth goal – and his 10th of the season – at Roots hall on Monday having gone eight games without finding the back of the net. The Irish striker scored his previous nine goals in 14 games between September and November.
“I was just waiting patiently, it’s been a little drought for me,” O’Brien admitted. “They were flying in left, right and centre before but for some reason there was some kind of force field around the opposition’s goal recently.
The 22-year-old has been out of luck recently, seeing an apparently legitimate strike at Burton ruled out after a harsh handball call, and then smacking a header off the crossbar in the second half of the 1-0 defeat to Walsall on Saturday.
“So I had to be patient to break that force field. In the Southend game I saw that Adam Barrett was
O’Brien has started the last two
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showing me a bit of space and I thought, you know what, let me run into that and just get a shot off. I managed to do that and luckily it trickled in. “As a striker you can’t start panicking and wondering what someone else is going to do rather than worrying about your own game, what you’re going to do, how you’re going to finish. It’s more about not worrying about him – it’s about me, and that’s what I do. “If I’m going to shoot and score I need to think about what I’m going to do and how I’m going to do it all in one split-second, so I don’t have time to consider anything else. It’s instinctive to just go and do it and not worry about any defenders. “So that’s what I did and I managed to trickle the ball past Bentley.” With joint-top scorer Lee Gregory struggling with a hamstring problem, O’Brien could continue his partnership up front with Morison against Barnsley at Oakwell on Saturday. And he conceded that Monday’s win at Southend was a timely boost for Neil Harris’ squad. “It takes a lot of pressure off our shoulders as a group,” O’Brien said. “It’s a massive win for us. We’ve done a job on a good team away from home. We’re all delighted and we’re going to kick on from here hopefully.”
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HARRIS ISSUES CHALLENGE TO MILLWALL TO REPEAT SHOW AT BARNSLEY By John Kelly
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stone’s Paint Trophy three weeks ago.
ILLWALL boss Neil Harris has challenged his players to repeat the performance they gave in the 4-0 win over Southend on Monday in their next league game, at Barnsley next Saturday.
There were a number of eye-catching displays on the Millwall side as goals from full-backs Joe Martin and Shaun Cummings and attackers Fred Onyedinma and Aiden O’Brien lifted their side briefly into eighth place in Sky Bet League One before the later kick-offs.
The Lions responded in perfect fashion to the 1-0 setback at The Den against Walsall last weekend to stop a run of three successive league defeats.
And Harris was eager to share the praise around the team.
Harris saw his side produce arguably their most emphatic performance of the season at Roots Hall, all the more impressive considering the Blues were on an eight-game unbeaten run in the league and Millwall had won just once in December – against the same opposition in the John-
“I thought everybody was outstanding on the football pitch (Monday),” he said. “Everybody was outstanding and performed really well. We completely dominated from the first whistle to the last and the moments when they did get opportunities in and
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around the box through good play we stood strong. “I thought the whole back four performed outstandingly well. Our shape was excellent, as it was on Saturday against Walsall for the majority of it. “To come off the back of a defeat at home and come here two days later and put in that performance is a credit to the group. That’s the standard, that’s the demand, that’s my standards. “And I just said to them there’s no point doing that now and not doing it at Barnsley. They’ve got to achieve that again.” Harris lives in Southend with his family, but, as he did after the JPT win, he stressed this latest suc-
cess in his hometown was an important squad statement rather than a personal one. “It’s nice having so many friends and family at the game,” he admitted. “But as I said all along it’s not about me coming back here – it’s about my team and how they perform. “We played against a really good Southend team on a roll with a little bit of momentum. And I thought from the moment we scored the first goal we completely dominated the game.” And he joked: “There are a few people who won’t be happy but my kids can go to school with their heads held high!”
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HARRIS: MILLWALL WERE OUTSTANDING FROM FIRST WHISTLE TO LAST By John Kelly
in the second half to decorate an utterly dominant performance.
EIL Harris revealed after Monday afternoon’s 4-0 rout of Southend that it was pre-planned to make changes from the side that lost to Walsall on Saturday.
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And Harris felt the added freshness gave his side the edge in their second game in less than 48 hours. “We’d four changes and I think it was important for us,” Harrris said. “We had a really tough game against Walsall, we didn’t have a whole lot of the ball and we had to do a lot of pressing.
The Millwall boss made four alterations to his starting line-up for the Roots Hall clash, and it paid dividends as Millwall raced into a 3-0 half-time lead.
“We always had two teams in the back of our minds, and I’m sure Phil (Brown) would have had as well but it’s difficult to change a winning side.
Jimmy Abdou was left on the bench, with George Saville taking his place in midfield. Shaun Cummings and Byron Webster replaced Carlos Edwards and Sid Nelson, while Ed Upson started on the left of midfield with Shane Ferguson among the substitutes.
“We knew some players couldn’t go again, some coming back from injury. Jimmy Abdou ran the furthest any player has run for the club this season on Saturday against Walsall so naturally he needs a rest.
After Joe Martin, Shaun Cummings and Fred Onyedinma had put Millwall into a commanding position, Aiden O’Brien added a fourth goal
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“With our small squad and a couple of others we were minding it wasn’t possible to (name unchanged sides). I think the fresh legs certainly helped us and the fact that Joe Martin and Fred came off in the second half on Saturday also gave us that freshness.” Harris was also pleased his side didn’t concede for the first time in four league games. He said: “I’m delighted for our goalscorers but equally delighted that we kept a clean sheet. “They’ve got a real good group here. They’ve come off the back of a win against Colchester. We knew it was going to be tough. “But I said to the guys, ‘for the first 15 minutes it’s about us’. And we were outstanding from the first whistle to the last. “Even when Southend did get their opportunities and shots in and around the penalty area I thought our desire to block and keep a clean sheet was phenomenal.”
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SOUTHEND UNITED MILLWALL
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NYONE going through the turnstiles late at Roots Hall on Monday afternoon could have been forgiven for thinking they’d arrived as the game was nearing its finish.
when he latched onto a half-clearance on the edge of the box to take a touch and then bury a shot to the bottom corner with his weaker right foot. It was 2-0 shortly after that when Shaun Cummings, given a brief to join the attacks as much as possible, was released down the right by Fred Onyedinma. The full-back miscued his cross slightly with its trajectory deceiving goalkeeper Daniel Bentley, who inadvertently diverted the ball over the line after it had rebounded off the far post.
At one point in the first half George Saville was leading a breakaway with just two Southend players between him and goal and Aiden O’Brien curving his run to the left. That O’Brien, looking across the two-man defensive line, couldn’t get himself onside on time was a minor irritation.
That added some extra venom to the chants of the 1,745 Lions fans packed into the away end. “Two-nil, and it’s all your fault” was a harsh if highly predictable assessment of Bentley’s performance and it’s a times like that you’re reminded of a goalkeeper’s isolation from the rest of his side.
Millwall were already two goals up by that stage and the identity of the goalscorers might have added to the sense of the surreal. In the 27th minute, Joe Martin, who had been taken off in the two previous games, put the Lions ahead
Incredibly, it was three before half-time when, after
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Steve Morison’s shot inside the box had been well saved by Bentley, Onyedinma prodded in from a few yards out for his fourth goal of the season and his first since the 2-2 draw at Wigan in September. This was a timely return to form for the winger.
to cover, but a couple of neat touches set up a left-footed finish to the far corner. That moved O’Brien level with Lee Gregory at the top of the Millwall goal charts for the season with ten, but he will perhaps be just as pleased to have scored for the first time in nine games.
There were some boos at the break from supporters who hadn’t seen their side defeated at home in the league since a 1-0 loss to Shrewsbury on September 12.
Southend could muster just one shot on target in the entire game, but David Forde was in the right place to comfortably save Worrall’s volley in the first half.
But there was also a measure of shock and it didn’t quite seem to make sense that Millwall’s worst run of the season was followed by arguably the best half of football they have played in the campaign.
Few Millwall fans could have envisaged such a comprehensive hammering of an opponent on an eight-game unbeaten league run was possible. The away side displayed none of the nerves that had characterised recent performances and this should inspire hope of a sustained top-six challenge. Defeat would have been such a deflating end to the year.
Southend had begun brightly and were targeting a perceived weakness on the right side of Millwall’s defence. David Worrall started on the left wing and his and striker Noel Hunt’s movement initially caused Byron Webster and Cummings some awkward moments. .
Instead, minds now turn positively towards two successive away league games – at Barnsley next Saturday and then the rescheduled clash with Oldham the following weekend.
But Worrall was withdrawn at the break, as was leftback Ben Coker, who will feel he should have taken his own initiative to clear when he thought the ball had crossed the line after tussling with Steve Morison on the right before the move that led to Millwall’s first goal.
Based on this performance, six points is a realistic target.
Boss Phil Brown brought on Stephen McLaughlin, Gary Deegan and Joe Piggot before an hour had elapsed in an attempt to retrieve an increasingly bleak-looking situation. Pigott had Southend’s two best chances to pull a goal back but Webster brilliantly blocked his shot as he manoeuvred towards goal on the left in the 62nd minute, and then Mark Beevers blocked another effort from the on-loan Charlton forward from Jack Payne’s cross to the back post. Morison could have decorated a fine individual performance with a goal, but he pulled a shot wide of the far post after he had anticipated Ryan Leonard’s ill-judged header towards Adam Thompson. But the rout was completed in the 70th minute when the Millwall captain picked up possession with his back to goal and spun to thread a superb ball through to Aiden O’Brien scampering away in the inside-left channel. The striker still had plenty to do with centre-back Adam Barrett racing across
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MILLWALL WALSALL
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©MillwallFC
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HERE have been times this season after defeats at The Den when manager Neil Harris has been visibly angry with his players.
thing from the game given the chances they created in the second half.
This wasn’t one of them and there was an acceptance that they were beaten by a side much further along in their development.
This was an eighth defeat in total at The Den this season, the third in a row, but it would be a pity given all the progress that has been made since August if talk of difficulty winning at home were to resurface.
Still, that didn’t lessen any sense of disappointment after Millwall probably should have taken some-
It’s a credit to Harris and his players that there was no evidence of any hangover from this game at
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Southend on Monday. In truth, Walsall are a cut above most sides in the division.
and slot home what proved to be the winner. It was a harsh lesson for nineteen-year Nelson that there are enough quality forwards in League One to punish defensive errors.
At one stage in the first half they had over 70 per cent possession and in appointing Sean O’Driscoll following Dean Smith’s move to Brentford, they are reinforcing the idea that possession football is a principle they want to stick with.
Aiden O’Brien had Millwall’s best chance to equalise in the second half, but he couldn’t steer his header from Shane Ferguson’s cross on target as the ball came back off the crossbar and Walsall went top of the table.
Ironically, their goal came from a ball over the top that centre-back Sid Nelson misread the flight of, allowing Milan Lalkovic to cut inside Mark Beevers
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©MillwallFC
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CLASSIC NEWSATDEN
MATCH REPORTS THREE YEARS AGO 1ST JANUARY 2013
MILLWALL N ’ G U E S S A N 1 9 ’, S M I T H 74 ’
FORDE SHITTU LOWRY BEEVERS SMITH TROTTER HENRY FEENEY ABDOU (SMITH) HENDERSON (BATT) N'GUESSAN
A
2-1 1 3 4 17 19 39 14 21 27 38 9
1 3 12 16 25 6 14 15 26 7 22
BRISTOL CITY S T E A D 64’
HEATON WILSON FONTAINE CUNNINGHAM MCMANUS BATES SKUSE ANDERSON ADOMAH DANNS STEAD
out the run of Darius Henderson, but the striker’s header drifted wide.
DAM Smith picked the perfect time to score his first Millwall goal as his second-half winner settled a tense encounter with Bristol City at The Den.
Robins goalkeeper Tom Heaton produced a superb save to keep out Liam Trotter’s low curling shot from inside the area in the 17th minute, but there was nothing he could do to prevent his side falling behind moments later.
Dany N’Guessan put the Lions ahead in the firsthalf before they were pegged back by John Stead’s volley at the back post in the 64th minute.
Henderson flicked the ball onto N’Guessan, who jinked past Mathew Bates and created a yard of space for himself with two step-overs before drilling home from 20 yards.
But Smith held his nerve to lash home a ferocious volley and Kenny Jackett’s side saw out the remaining time to climb back up to seventh in the Championship table.
It could have been 2-0 when Trotter latched onto Henderson’s flick but Stephen McManus recovered well to block the midfielder’s shot
Millwall nearly made the perfect start when, after just two minutes, Liam Feeney’s cross picked
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©GettyImages
Millwall nearly regained the lead with their next attack but Trotter’s curler from the edge of the area was beaten away by Heaton, who kept out Smith’s piledriver moments later.
from close range. The Lions went even closer to adding a second when Mark Beevers escaped his marker at a James Henry corner, but his header flashed across the face of goal and beyond the far post. In first-half stoppage time, N’Guessan nearly produced a carbon copy of his first goal but dragged a shot well wide after controlling a long ball.
Baldock should have turned in Adomah’s cutback to make it 2-1 and that miss proved costly when, in the 74th minute, the Lions went back in front. Henry’s free-kick was headed back across goal by Trotter and into the path of Smith, who thumped a first-time volley into the roof of the net from 12 yards.
Having made an attacking double substitution just before the break, it was unsurprising that Bristol City improved after the restart and Neil Danns blasted an effort into the side netting in the 50th minute.
Midfielder Danns should have equalised for the visitors when the ball was deflected into his path at the back post, but he scuffed his lines from no more than three yards out.
Martyn Woolford, who had been brought on by boss Derek McInnes along with Sam Baldock, looked poised to equalise moments later but Danny Shittu robbed him of the ball with a perfect sliding tackle.
Trotter could have made the game safe in the 86th minute but Heaton was equal to his dipping half-volley from 25-yards. Millwall hearts were in mouths soon after when Forde spilled Adomah’s shot, but he gathered at the second attempt.
Feeney then headed tamely at Heaton from Henry’s deep cross, before Baldock’s shot was tipped around the post by David Forde at the other end.
That proved to be the last notable piece of goalmouth action as the Lions held on to claim a precious victory – their first win in four matches.
The Robins equalised in the 64th minute when Albert Adomah’s hopeful chip dropped into the path of Stead, who stabbed the ball beyond Forde on the volley.
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LEAGUE ONE TABLE P W D L F A G D PT
1 Wa ls a l l 2 3 14 6 3 40 1 9 21 48
2 B ur t o n A l bi on 2 3 1 5 3 5 31 1 9 12 48 3 Gilling h a m 24 1 4 5 5 4 6 2 9 1 7 47 4 C o v en t r y C i t y
24 1 2 8 4 4 1 24 1 7 44
5 W iga n A t h l e t i c 2 3 1 1 7 5 34 2 1 1 3 40 6 P e t e r borou g h U n i t e d 24 1 1 4 9 4 9 36 1 3 37 7 So ut he n d U n i t e d 2 3 1 0 7 6 31 2 7 4 37 8 Sh e f fi e l d U n i t e d 2 3 10 6 7 37 31 6 36
9 Millw a l l 2 3 10 4 9 35 32 3 34 10 B r a d for d C i t y 2 2 9 7 6 24 2 3 1 34 1 1 P o r t Va l e 24 9 6 9 2 8 2 7 1 33
12 B ur y 2 3 9 6 8 33 35 -2 33
13 Ro c h da l e 2 3 8 7 8 2 9 2 7 2 31 14
Sc unt h or p e U n i t e d
24
9
4
11
2 7
30
-3
31
15 D o n c a s t e r R ove r s
24 8 7 9 2 8 33 -5 31
16 Sw in don Tow n
24 8 4 1 2 33 39 -6 28
17
24
Sh re w s bu r y Tow n
18 B la ck p ool
7
5
12
30
35
-5
26
2 3 7 4 1 2 2 1 32 -1 1 25
19 B a r n s l e y 2 3 7 3 1 3 32 40 -8 24 20 C h e s t e r fi e l d
24 7 3 1 4 2 6 4 0 -1 4 24
2 1 F le e t w ood Tow n
2 3 6 5 1 2 30 34 -4 23
22 O ld ha m A t h l e t i c
2 2 3 1 1 8 24 35 -1 1 20
23 C re w e A l exa n dr a
2 3 5 5 1 3 2 3 39 -1 6 20
24 C o lche s t e r U n i t e d
24 5 5 1 4 33 58 -2 5 20
FIXTURES BARNSLEY OAK WELL S ATU RDAY 2N D JA N UA RY
OLDHAM ATHLETIC B OUNDARY PA R K S ATU RDAY 9TH JA N UA RY
OXFORD UNITED T HE DEN THU RSD AY 1 4 T H JA N UA RY
PORT VALE T HE DEN S UNDAY 1 7T H JA N UA RY
CHESTERFIELD PROACT STAD I UM S ATU RDAY 23 R D JA N UA RY
PLAYER STATS LEAGUE ONE
Ap p
Sta r ts
Assi sts
Go als
D. F or de 6 5 0 0 J. Ar c h e r 1 8 1 8 0 0 S. Cu mmi n g s 1 2 1 1 1 1 T. Cr a i g 1 6 1 6 0 1 S. Ne l s on 6 6 0 0 M. B e e ve r s 2 2 2 2 1 4 B. We bs t e r 1 7 1 2 0 3 S. Fe r g u s on 2 1 1 2 4 2 M. R ome o 0 0 0 0 C . Pa r r 0 0 0 0 C . Edw a r ds 1 2 1 2 1 0 J. M a r t i n 1 1 1 1 0 2 S. Wi l l i a ms 2 0 2 0 2 2 E . U p s on 1 6 1 1 1 0 L . M a r t i n 8 2 1 0 J. P o w e l l 1 1 0 0 B. T homp s on 1 2 4 1 0 N. A bdou 1 0 1 0 0 1 J. P hi l p ot 0 0 0 0 K . Tw a r de k 0 0 0 0 G. S a vi l l e 1 1 1 1 0 0 P. Cow a n H a l l 3 0 0 0 L . G re g or y 2 0 1 5 1 4 F. O ny e di n ma 2 3 1 5 1 4 J. M a r q u i s 4 0 0 0 S. M or i s on 2 3 2 1 3 4 A. O ’ B r i e n 2 1 1 8 4 6 A. P a ve y 4 0 0 0
ACADEMY ROUND-UP
UNDER 21S
LAST GAME
WOLVES 1-3 MILLWALL
AUGUST
MFC GOALSCORERS:
Nottingham Forest (A) 3-1 (Pavey)
ONYEDINMA, ROMEO, COWAN-HALL
Crewe Alexandra (H) 1-0 (Philpot) Charlton Athletic (A) 0-1 (Abandoned) (Romeo) Ipswich Town (H) 3-0 (Philpot, Pavey, Okenabirhie)
MILLWALL LINE UP:
SEPTEMBER
King
Leeds United H 3-1 (Pavey 2, Wood)
Romeo
Bolton Wanderers (A) 0-2 Coventry City (H) 4-1 (Wood, Pavey 3)
Chesmain
Hull City (A) 0-0
Thompson
OCTOBER
Mbulu
Plymouth Argyle (H) 1-0 (Wood)
Wood
Huddersfield Town (H) 0-2
Cowan-Hall
QPR (A) 0-4 (Eze 3, Ndjoli)
Farrell
Colchester United (H) 1-0 (Wood)
Pavey NOVEMBER
Onyedinma
Palace (H) 5-1 (Martin 2, Upson, Thompson, Powell)
Twardek
Swansea (A) 1-2 (Ndjoli 2)
Subs not used:
DECEMBER Brentford (H) 1-0 (Martin)
Girling
Watford (A) 0-1 (Ndjoli)
Parr
Wolves (A) 1-3 (Onyedinma, Romeo, Cowan-Hall)
TOP SCORERS: Alfie Pavey - 7 Keaton Wood / Mikael Ndjoli - 4 Lee Martin / Ebere Eze - 3
Donovan Ndjoli Eze 48
LAST SEVEN GAMES DAT E
2 8 - N ov-15
1 -Dec-1 5
5-Dec-15
CO MP E T IT IO N
L e a g u e On e
Lea g u e One
FA Cu p
OPPO N E N T
Bu r y FC ( H )
B u r ton Al b i on ( A)
Wycombe (H)
RESU LT
1- 0 W
2 -1 L
1 -2 L
G O AL K E E P E R
Archer
Archer
Archer
DEFEN DE R S
C u mmi n g s
Cu mmi ng s ( 8 9)
Ed w a r ds
We bs t e r
Nel son
Web ster
Be e ve r s
B eever s
Nel son
Fe r g u s on ( 8 3)
J M a r ti n
J M a r ti n
Ony e di n ma ( 61 )
Onyed i nma
Up son (69)
S a vi l l e
Sa vi l l e ( 4 6)
Thomp s o n
W i l l i a ms
Wi l l i a ms
Wi l l i a m s
U p s on ( 8 1)
Ferg u son ( 4 6)
O’ B r i en (83)
O’ Br i e n
M ori son
M ori son
G re g or y
O’ B r i en
G reg or y
S UB
For de
Ford e
Ford e
S UB
N e l s on
Wood
Wood
S UB
C h e s ma i n ( 8 3)
Ed w a r d s
Cu mmi ngs
S UB
L Martin
L M a r ti n
Ab d ou
S UB
T h omp s on ( 8 1 )
Thomp son ( 4 6)
L M a r ti n (83)
S UB
M or i s on ( 6 1 )
Up son ( 8 9)
Onyed inm a (69)(95
S UB
P a ve y
G reg or y ( 4 6)
Pa vey ( 95)
M IDFIE L DE R S
AT TAC K E R S
5)
8 - Dec-1 5
19 - D e c -15
2 6-Dec-1 5
2 8 -Dec-1 5
J PT
L e a g u e On e
Lea g u e One
Lea g u e One
So uthen d ( A)
Gillingham (H)
Wa l sa l l ( H )
Sou thend (A )
0-2 W
0-3 L
0-1 L
0 -4 W
Archer
Archer
Ford e
For d e
Edward s
E dw a r ds
Ed w a r d s
Cu mmi ngs
Webste r
We bs t e r
Nel son
Web ster
B ee v e r s
Be e ve r s ( 8 2 )
B eever s
B eevers
J Mar ti n
J Martin (46)
J M a r ti n ( 76)
J M a r ti n
Upso n
O’ Br i e n
Onyed i nma ( 67)
Onyed i nma (87 )
Savi lle
S a vi l l e
Ab d ou
Sa vi l l e
Wi lliams
W i l l i a ms
Wi l l i a ms
Wi l l i a ms
O ’ Brie n ( 92 )
U p s on ( 2 7 )
Ferg u son
Upson
M o ri so n (71 )
M or i s on
M ori son
M or i son (89)
Greg o r y
G re g or y
O’ B r i en
O’ B ri en ( 81)
Fo rd e
For de ( 2 7 )
Ki ng
Ar cher
Nel so n (92)
N e l s on
Cu mmi ng s
Nel son
Fe rguson ( 7 1 )
Fe r g u s on ( 4 6 )
Web ster
Fer g u son (87 )
Th omp s o n
T h omp s on
Up son ( 67)
Ab d ou
Pav e y
A bdou
Sa vi l l e
Thompson (81)
L Martin
Thomp son
Phi l p ot
Ony e di n ma ( 82 )
Pa vey ( 76)
Pa vey ( 8 9)
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