Millwall let their lead slip for the second time this week as their 1-1 draw with Reading extends their winless run to five games.

It’s the same old frustrations for Gary Rowett, whose side failed to hold onto their lead and failed to take their second half chances.

There was a first league start for Troy Parrott, who had seen his loan spell from Tottenham hampered by injury.

Rowett was hoping the young Irishman might provide some attacking solutions to his side. The Lions had only managed one goal in their last four games.

Despite a bright start from Millwall, it looked as though their goalless run might continue.

There was little quality on display from either side. The Lions’ crisp passing amounting to little more than half chances from distance, Reading barely setting foot in the home side’s half.

However, the first half ended in spectacular fashion. Parrott winning a free kick on the edge of box, Jed Wallace stepped up and dispatched a wonderful, curled effort past Rafael on the stroke of half time.

Veijko Paunovic would have been frustrated with his side’s lack of performance in the first half, especially on the back for four straight losses.

The Serbian manager must have got into his players during the break and the Royals equalised on 54 minutes after a passage of good play.

Lucas Joao latched onto Michael Olise’s chip over the Millwall back line and calmly finished through the legs of Bartosz Bialkowski.

Both sides struggled to create any chances from that point, hardly surprising from two sides who’ve been struggling for goals of late.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson had the best chance of the game, when Jed Wallace laid him the ball on the left side of the box on 67 minutes.

Bodvarsson, who missed a great chance on Saturday against Cardiff, would have wanted to right that wrong. But Rafael Cabral was equal to his effort, managing to tip his strike over the bar.

Millwall will once again rue missed chances, both Ryan Leonard and Wallace failing to convert from inside the six yard box in the final 10 minutes.

Loao almost nicked the win for the Royal in the dying seconds. His right footed effort from the edge of the box going inches wide of the post.

Both sides winless runs stretch to five games but Reading will surely be happier with the draw. Rowett is left asking the same questions of his attack.

 

Teams:

Millwall: Bialkowski; Leonard, Hutchinson, Cooper, M. Wallace; Williams, Woods; J. Wallace, Thompson (Smith 75), Malone (Ferguson 75); Parrott (Bodvarsson 63).

Subs: Fielding, Pearce, Brown, Skalak, Burey, Muller.

Reading: Rafael; Richards, Morrison, Moore, Holmes; Rinomhota, Laurent; Meite (Baldock 90), Semedo (Olise 46), Ejaria; Joao

Subs: Walker, Esteves, Gibson, Aluko, Tetek, Watson, Onen.