Millwall 1 v 1 Yeovil Town

Coca Cola League One

DARREN Byfield picked the perfect time to score his first senior goal for Millwall with a late leveller to secure a draw in the season's League One opener.

Nigel Spackman's new-look Lions, featuring no less than seven players making their League debut, had looked to be heading for defeat after Wayne Gray fired Yeovil ahead on 34 minutes.

But Spackman's young charges refused to give up and grabbed a deserved equaliser eight minutes from time courtesy of a timely header from Byfield.

Less than 60 seconds later Marvin Elliott came within inches of securing what would have been a marvellous home win, heading agonisingly wide of the post from a pinpoint freekick from Neal Ardley.

It was the introduction of former Cardiff, Watford and Wimbledon man Ardley which brought a steadying influence to the side, entering the fray a couple of minutes before half-time.

At that point Russell Slade's Yeovil, of whom half were also making their debuts, had edged ahead courtesy of Gray's clinical 34th minute finish.

But Ardley's appearance turned the tide very much in Millwall's favour and for much of the second half it was the Yeovil goal which was under pressure as The Lions piled forward.

Filipe Morais' 57th-minute freekick was comfortably held by Steve Mildenhall in the visiting goal and then Elliott dragged a shot wide following a neat flick from the busy Byfield.

Great inter-play from Richard Shaw, Morais and Tom Brighton ended with Ardley firing a yard off target, a feat repeated after 67 minutes when Elliott again went close.

Morais thought he had hauled The Lions level on 74 minutes, meeting Maurice Ross's sweet cross with a deft flick only for Mildenhall to get a hand to the ball and a defender to clear for a corner.

At the other end, Lenny Pidgeley reacted well to palm away a fierce snap-shot from the impressive Matt Harrold before a great run from Aaron Davies picked out sub Tony James and his first-time angled volley fizzed a foot over the bar. A foot under and you would have had a serious contender for goal of the season already.

Lions boss Spackman responded by handing Poul Hubertz his league debut with 12 minutes remaining, taking it to eight Millwall debutants on the day, and the big Dane nearly made a dream start to life in League One.

Within seconds of coming on for Morais, Hubertz saw his first-time shot bobble narrowly wide of the left hand post after great work by the persistent Byfield.

The Lions finally grabbed the goal their application and effort deserved eight minutes from time when Zak Whitbread picked out Ardley on the left and his tantalising deep cross was met by Byfield, who stretched every sinew in his neck to powerfully head into the roof of the net.

The celebrations had barely died down when midfielder Elliott came so close to adding a second but it was not to be as the ball flashed wide and with it went The Lions last clear chance of getting the campaign off to a winning start.

Spackman said: "I think the majority of fans will give us time to gel and they can see we're trying to play football in the right way.

"We brought Poul Hubertz on because he gives us another dimension.

"With Ben May out for up to four months we needed another striker and Poul gives us the different option.

"But when he came on we kept trying to pass the ball rather than just lump the ball up there."

MATCH FACTS: MILWALL: Pidgeley; Ross, Craig (Ardley, 42), Whitbread, Shaw; Elliott (Hackett, 88), Brighton, McInnes, Morais (Hubertz, 78); Byfield, Williams.

SUBS NOT USED: Day, Robinson.

ATT: 10,012.

With thanks to Millwall FC