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We never really got our game going at all at any stage of the game, but until the first goal went in, seven minutes into the second half, there was no sign whatsoever of what was to come and you'd have still had Burnley as the most likely winners.
Quite simply, we didn't create enough opportunities and we allowed Millwall to make the most of their few chances with some appalling defending from set pieces. It's a setback, just as we suffered one at the same point two years ago.
Eddie Howe, hardly surprisingly, named an unchanged team from the one that had won at Hull in midweek, thus giving Nathan Delfouneso a home debut following his loan move from Aston Villa. He was partnered by Jay Rodriguez initially with Chris Eagles in a wide position but that was changed during the first half.
It was a quiet opening to the game with neither side taking the initiative but the first chance of sorts fell our way and was close to landing Delfouneso with his second Burnley goal. Tyrone Mears played the ball in for Rodriguez who headed the ball and Delfouneso saw his header clip the bar.
Midway through the half we started to get our game together. Jay Rod should have done better after Mears ended a right wing move with a pull back. Jay looked a certain scorer but his effort was deflected wide.
Dean Marney had a couple of efforts and then Mears cut inside and hit a left footer that went just over. At this point a goal looked likely but it didn't come and it was Millwall who got the only other real chance of the half when a ball fell invitingly to Steve Morison from Michael Duff. Lee Grant was off his line but was able to get back to make an easy save.
No score at half time was probably about right but at that point I'd have still had my money on the Clarets, and in the opening few minutes of the second half that looked a good bet.
Millwall keeper David Forde had to save from both Ross Wallace and Marney as we stepped things up. It was the bright start to the half that we needed but it came abruptly and unexpectedly to an end with a Millwall goal.
Millwall were gifted an unnecessary corner and from there Paul Robinson climbed at the far post to head home. Grant had come and got caught half way and the Millwall defender didn't have to work anything like hard enough to beat Duff. It was a shocking goal to give away.
It changed the game completely. We seemed to have nothing to come back with and Millwall now looked much the better side. Howe introduced Chris Iwelumo just before the hour, bringing him on for the ineffective Eagles, and a few minutes later Delfouneso was replaced by Wade Elliott.
It made little difference and the game was up soon after the second substitution when Millwall scored yet again from a corner. Again it was Robinson getting the better of Duff and again it really was a soft, soft goal to give away.
Two goals down, we looked a beaten side but it might have been so different had referee Ilderton seen the clearest of penalties when Iwelumo was held. I'm not sure at all how he couldn't give it and who knows what the last ten minutes would have been like had we scored then from the spot.
We've had some late comebacks at home this season but this was not to be another and with three minutes to go it was 3-0 and all from a Millwall goal kick. It was headed on for Andros Townsend who made no mistake with a shot from the left into the far bottom corner.
I'm not sure Millwall's performance was worthy of a 3-0 win but our performance was certainly worthy of a defeat. We were flat for so much of the game and were never able to get to grips with a strong, organised, mobile Millwall side.
Needless to say there's been a massive over reaction to the defeat with just about half the side needing to be left out, but the fact is we'd picked up 16 points from the previous nine games and mainly with the same team.
We've pulled ourselves back into the play off picture and nothing happened yesterday to change that. No, we can't afford too many more performances like this if we are to get into the top six but this team has more than proved itself able to get the points needed.
Hopefully we'll bounce back on Tuesday with the first of our two games in hand against Coventry. By the final whistle in that game things could be starting to look a whole lot better again.
The teams yesterday were;
Burnley: Lee Grant, Tyrone Mears, Clarke Carlisle, Michael Duff, Danny Fox, Jack Cork, Dean Marney (Graham Alexander 90+1), Chris Eagles (Chris Iwelumo 59), Ross Wallace, Jay Rodriguez, Nathan Delfouneso (Wade Elliott 68). Subs not used: Brian Jensen, David Edgar, Andre Bikey, Marvin Bartley.
Millwall: David Forde, Alan Dunne, Darren Ward, Paul Robinson, Tony Craig, James Henry (Craig Eastmond 90), Tamika Mkandawire, Liam Trotter, Andros Townsend (Scott Barron 88), Steve Morison, Kevin Lisbie (Martin Rowlands 79). Subs not used: Steve Mildenhall, Chris Hackett, John Marquis, Josh McQuoid.
Referee: Eddie Ilderton (Tyne & Wear).
Attendance: 14,589.