Millwall: Warner, Lawrence, Nethercott, Ward, Bull, Ifill, Livermore, Cahill, Reid, Harris (Claridge 75), Dublin. Subs Not Used: Gueret, Ryan, Bircham, Dyche. Attendance: 28,282 Referee: A Bates (Stoke on Trent). 
The first half, in the main, was fairly uneventful. Neither team could get a real grip of the game, although Millwall's wide men, Steven Reid and Paul Ifill posed a few problems for the Blues defence, as did Dion Dublin's ariel presence, and Neil Harris's lively front play.
Blues went close through Geoff Horsfield, who stung Tony Warner's hands with a fierce drive, and Darren Carter who flashed a few long range efforts over the bar, whilst Aussie midfielder Tim Cahill went close for the visitors.
Millwall began the second half well, and Cahill again went close twice, as they won a succession of corners. It was, however, Blues who took the lead on 56 minutes through Bryan Hughes - who had struck twice in the corresponding league fixture between the sides. Millwall failed to clear a Blues corner, and Martin Grainger looped a cross over to the far post, which Hughes dispatched sweetly, first time, on the half volley. Cue joyous scenes around St Andrews.
Blues, however, appeared to back off, and settle for a 1-0 victory - a tactic which could yet prove costly. Tommy Mooney had a penalty claim rejected, but it was Millwall, allowed the ball far too easily by a deep, defensive Blues side, who pushed on for the second goal of the game. With 10 minutes to go, Millwall got their reward when a cross from deep from the impressive Reid was nodded into the bottom right hand corner of the net by Dublin.
Such a disappointing equaliser spurred Blues on in search of another goal to take an advantage to South London, however, but for a couple of tame Damien Johnson efforts, Blues were unable to make a breakthrough. Stan Lazaridis was brought on for the ineffective Mooney, but with just 4 minutes available to him to swing the game back in Blues's favour, evidently things were against him. Personally, I find it a little surprising that Lazaridis wasn't brought on far earlier. It's all very well playing a striker out of position on the left against weaker sides when you're guaranteed more possession and more creative opportunities. However, when your central midfielders are shackled by the likes of Cahill and David Livermore, and Johnson is out of sorts on the right, you really need the creative spark that Lazaridis offers, which Mooney most certainly does not. 
Blues never make things easy for themselves, that's for sure. Millwall came to St. Andrews to get a result, and deserve a lot of credit for getting the result. Yes, people should be positive about Thursday's game, but people should also look at a poor, flat, dead performance, and certain tactical inadequacies (including the decision to allow Dublin free headers and attempt to pick up the pieces), for much of the game by Blues as the reason that the game will be so tough on Thursday. Blues's away form is good, but it will take the performance of the season to see us figuring in Cardiff on May 12th.
Blues: Vaesen, Kenna, Purse, Tebily, Grainger, Damien Johnson, Bryan Hughes, Carter, Mooney (Lazaridis 89), John, Horsfield. Subs Not Used: Bennett, Woodhouse, Andrew Johnson, Vickers.
Goals: Bryan Hughes 56.
Goals: Dublin 80.
Blues 1 - Millwall 1
A disjointed and, in parts, poor performance against lively Millwall means Blues have it all to do at The New Den on Thursday night in their attempt to reach the play off final for the first time in four years of trying.
Report By BluenoseRon