Live Commentary: Millwall 0-1 Bolton Wanderers - as it happened

Darren Pratley scored the only goal of the game as Bolton Wanderers beat Millwall 1-0 at The Den tonight to move eight points clear of the Championship relegation zone.

Pratley spurned a host of good chances in an end-to-end first half that somehow managed to finish goalless.

However, the big midfielder was on hand to thrash home the winner on 68 minutes as Neil Lennon's side extended their six-game unbeaten run to seven.

Below, read how all the action unfolded in a low-scoring, yet thrilling encounter in London.

9.42pmAnyway, that's all we've got time for tonight folks. Have a lovely weekend and an equally lovely Christmas. Hopefully you've enjoyed the action and we'll see you next time.

9.41pmFULL TIME: MILLWALL 0-1 BOLTON WANDERERS That's it! Bolton hang on to beat Millwall and move EIGHT points clear of the relegation zone in the Championship. What a good result that is for the Trotters, who also extend their six-game unbeaten streak to seven. Neil Lennon is doing a fantastic job.

90 + 3 minIt's backs to the wall for Bolton as they desperately cling on to this slender lead, and as it stands they're doing just that. Two minutes to play.

90 + 1 minFIVE MINUTES ADDED ON: Plenty of time to snatch a point then!

90 minSAVE! It's all about both goalkeepers now as Bolton break following that Lonergan stop and Forde superbly tips Wilkinson's long drive wide of the post.

89 minSAVE! What a massive save this is from Lonergan, who races off his line to thwart Woolford from snatching a late equaliser. Huge. Was that the chance?

88 minSounds like Millwall are going to have a 12th man spurring them toward an equaliser in the closing stages as the home fans make themselves heard

87 minSHOT! Second-half sub Lee Martin goes close for the hosts, but Longeran is equal to the effort. Four minutes to play and it looks like Bolton are going to hang on.

84 minSUBSTITUTION: Bolton make their second change now as Conor Wilkinson replaces Rob Hall in what seems pretty much like-for-like. Surprised Lennon hasn't thrown on a defender as of yet.

83 minBOOKING: Matt Mills goes into the book for hauling down Martyn Woolford.

81 minIt's all Millwall but Bolton are comfortably absorbing all the pressure at the minute. I'm not sure the hosts have the firepower necessary to crowbar their way back into this game, but they've got about 10 minutes in which to prove me wrong. 0-1.

79 minDo they deserve an equaliser? Not really, no. They've had seven shots, but only one of those has been on target. They haven't done enough so far tonight and, should they lose, Holloway can have little complaint.

77 minSUBSTITUTION: Final throw of the dice for Holloway now as midfielder Jimmy Abdou replaces defender Andy Wilkinson. 13 minutes remaining. #Gungho.

74 minThe Lions are growing a little more adventerous in their attack now, committing more bodies forward as they look to force an equaliser. Will they get one? Maybe, but you certainly would not back against the Trotters scoring again.

71 minInteresting to see what Neil Lennon does now: does he continue on in the same vein, or will he look to hold what Bolton have at some point? Decisions decisions for the Northern Irishman.

68 minIt had to be him, didn't it? Good things come to those who wait, and Pratley has waited nearly 70 minutes to grab a goal after previously coming close on about six occasions. He latches on to Lee Chung-Yong's incisive pass before firing past Forde for a thoroughly deserved opening goal. That was coming from the first minute more or less.

67 minGOAL!!!!! MILLWALL 0-1 BOLTON (Darren Pratley)

65 minOFF THE POST!!! This is just unbelieveable. Rob Hall's effort cannons off the post before rebounding off Forde, but the Irish keeper gets it away before Trotter can convert the loose ball. If Millwall win this, or even take a point, it'll be incredible.

64 minSHOT! And Trotter nearly has an immediate impact on his return to The Den by forcing Forde into a decent low save within moments of coming on. What an introduction that would've been.

62 minSUBSTITUTION: Neil Lennon makes his first change now as Eidur Gudjohnsen makes way for Liam Trotter, another former Millwall man. Gudjohnsen was disappointing in his second full debut, but he is 36 so let's give him a break.

60 minAround 30 minutes to play here at The Den and, remarkably, it's still 0-0. How? God knows. Surely something has to give, though.

59 minBLOCK! It's getting a little ridiculous now, but Pratley is at the heart of everything in the final third for Bolton. We've lost count at how many he could've scored by now, but he would've scored this time if not for Alan Dunne, who throws himself in the way of his shot. Dunne replaced Mark Beevers in the first XI so he's certainly vindicating Holloway.

57 minSUBSTITUTION: Another change by the hosts now as fit-again Lee Martin replaces Magaye Gueye, who was promising at times in that first half. Big call by Holloway.

55 minSUBSTITUTION: First sub of the night then, and it's Millwall as the ineffective Scott McDonald makes way for former Stoke man Ricardo Fuller. He's always good for a goal, isn't he?

54 minBOOKING: Danny Shittu goes into the book now after bringing down Chung-Young Lee. 2-1 Millwall in yellow cards now folks.

52 minStill all Wanderers so far in this half as Gudjohnsen crosses for Feeney, but the ex-Lion can't find a teammate with a headed pass, while Hall drills a low shot at Forde moments later.

50 minCLOSE: Bolton go close once more, and it's only Darren Pratley again as the big midfielder curls just wide of the far post. It was nowhere near as clear-cut as his previous misses. #helpPratleyfindthenet

47 minCHANCE: Bolton haven't lost any of that momentum as the visitors go straight on the attack and our friend Pratley heads over the bar from Lee's decent cross. It's really not an exaggeration to say he could've had about four goals tonight.

45 minRESTART: Right, so we're back underway at The Den, ladies and gents. I'm willing to stake everything I own on the prospect that we'll see goals in this half. It's inevitable after that first 45. Let's see.

8.43pmAnyways, lash the kettle on and meet me back here in a few minutes for the second half to see if the forcefield around either goal has subsided.

8.41pmAs we said prior to kickoff, the winner of this one will move EIGHT points clear of the relegation zone, and as it stands Bolton are far and away the hungrier of both sides. It'll be a bittersweet half for Neil Lennon, who watched his team dominate but they're yet to be rewarded.

8.38pmIt hasn't been all one-way traffic, though, as Millwall have fashioned one or two chances themselves, with their top goalscorer Lee Gregory missing the best opportunity of the game perhaps, after slotting wide of Lonergan's post.

8.36pmLord only knows how that 45 minutes hasn't spawned a goal as of yet, but that's the reality. Bolton have been well on top, and Darren Pratley will walk off the field believing he should've secured the match ball already after spurning a host of chances.

8.34pmHALF TIME: MILLWALL 0-0 BOLTON

45 minTWO MINUTES ADDED ON:

44 minSHOT! Millwall finishing the half on top as Angel wanders into the area unmarked and flashes a half-volley inches wide of the mark.

42 minWe've not seen much of Eidur Gudjohnsen on his second full debut for the Trotters as of yet, but you don't need to see a cobra flash its fangs to know its lethal. He's bound to get one or two chances with the amount of that opportunities they're creating, and with his track record you have to assume he'll be a little more clinical than Pratley or Gregory in this half.

39 minBOOKING: It's 1-1 in the yellow card stakes now, as Alan Dunne goes into the book for upending Rob Hall. Six minutes left until the break.

37 minCHANCE! Yet ANOTHER chance for Wanderers, and it's Pratley again, who hesitates just before pulling the trigger and ends up scuffing his shot wide. The midfielder could've had a hat-trick already tonight.

34 minIt was 1-1 the last time these two faced off at The Den, but it quite literally could be 2-2 already! Lord knows how it's still goalless.

30 minMillwall built on that chance and fashioned one or two more half chances to snatch the momentum away from their visitors, but it's all Bolton now again and Forde beats away another Darren Pratley shot. Lennon's side are playing like a team who do not want to be anywhere the bottom three come 2015.

25 minCLOSE! Oh my, what a sucker-punch that would've been. After absorbing so much Bolton pressure, Millwall very nearly score against the run of play as Lee Gregory latches on to Magaye Gueye's pass before slotting just wide of Andy Lonergan's post. Big, big chance.

23 minBOOKING: Neil Danns goes into the referee's notebook for a late challenge on Shaun Williams.

22 minCHANCE: More pressure from Bolton as Matt Mills heads a Rob Hall free kick straight at David Forde. It's still all Bolton ladies and gents.

19 minNeil Lennon's side will kick themselves if they don't score at least once. They've been utterly dominant in this half, with Darren Pratley coming close for the visitors again but his goal-bound effort was cleared away.

16 minMillwall growing into the game a little more in recent minutes as Scott McDonald finds left-back Malone, but his teasing cross is eventually cleared. Bolton still well on top here, though.

7 minCHANCE! Wanderers are well and truly knocking on the door here folks as Tim Ream see's his goal- bound header palmed away by David Forde after a very quiet opening first seven minutes or so.

1 minKICKOFF: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're off, my friends. It'll be a good game this I reckon.

7.42pmVictory really is massive here, my friends. One of these two teams will move EIGHT points above the relegation zone if they win tonight folks. Yep. They're both five points clear at the moment - Millwall in 20th, two places below Bolton - so we can't really quantify how important a win could be here.

7.39pmWhat a brilliant player Gudjohnsen was in his day. He scored 104 league goals across spells with Bolton and Chelsea, before forging out a very decent career at Barcelona, where he was apart of that team that won the treble in 2008-09. He's 36 now, but you know what they say about class; it's permanent, and Millwall defenders will have to be alert tonight.

7.37pmJosh Vela comes in to replace defender David Wheater, with Chung-Young Lee, Neil Danns, Darren Pratley and Liam Feeney in midfield. Dorian Dervite, Matt Wills and Tim Ream retain their place in defence obviously, while Andy Lonergan continues between the sticks.

7.34pmRight, on to Bolton now and the BIG news is that Eidur Gudjohnsen makes his first start since re-signing for the Trotters this month. Neil Lennon makes three changes to last week's 0-0 draw at Ipswich Town, with Gudjohnsen and Rob Hall starting up front at the expense of Matt Clayton and Conor Wilkinson.

7.31pmLee Gregory, who has four goals this season, spearheads the attack, with Scott McDonald and Martyn Woolford in close support. You'll find Angel, Shaun Williams and Magaye Gueye in midfield, in front of defenders Scott Malone, Danny Shittu, Dunne and Andy Wilkinson, with Irishman David Forde in nets.

7.28pmOkay we'll start with the hosts then and I can tell you that Lions boss Ian Holloway makes just the one change from that 1-0 win away to Brighton & Hove Albion last time out, with Mark Beevers making way for Alan Dunne in defence.

7.26pmBOLTON SUBS: Bogdan, Moxey, Spearing, Trotter, Wheater, Clough, Wilkinon

7.25pmMILLWALL SUBS: King, Webster, Briggs, Abdou, Martin, Easter, Fuller

7.24pmBOLTON XI: Lonergan; Dervite, Mills, Ream; Pratley, Danns, Feeney, Lee, Vela; Hall, Gudjohnsen

7.23pmMILLWALL XI: Forde; Wilkinson, Shittu, Dunne, Malone; Angel, Williams, Gueye; McDonald, Woolford, Gregory

7.20pmWe'll look at why a little later but first let's cracking on some team news? Okay, but first let's whet the appetite with a Christmas sing-song. This is different class. I'm actually in the video - I'm the kid at 2:05 in the blue dungarees.

7.18pmBelieve it or not but it's only SIX days until that big fat bloke dressed in red (not Wayne Rooney) abseils down our chimneys to leave presents under the tree, but Christmas will come early for one of these sides in the event of victory.

7.16pmGood evening and happy Christmas to you and yours. I'm Shane, but you can call me Sleighbells Shane because, well, tis' the season init. Anywho, I'll be guiding you through what we hope will prove a cracker at The Den for Millwall's clash with Bolton.

Live Commentary: Millwall 0-1 Bolton Wanderers - as it happened

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Teams mentioned in this article :

Millwall

Bolton Wanderers