FOOTBALL: LIONS IN A RIGHT STU

MILLWALL boss Mark McGhee fears he is in for a season of struggle after Stuart Nethercott's late strike just salvaged a point.

McGhee's side have suffered a nightmare start to the campaign as a series of injuries and cost-cutting measures have taken their toll, to leave the Lions languishing close to the bottom of the table.

And after skipper Nethercott had cancelled out his earlier own- goal to ensure Millwall avoided their fourth defeat in six games, McGhee admitted he knows success this season will be avoiding relegation.

He said: "I think we deserved a point but the two teams look as if they belong where they are in the table.

"We are missing Richard Sadlier, Steven Reid and Tim Cahill through injury, and without them we look a bit pedestrian.

"We need more pace in the side, but that is the most expensive commodity in the game.

"We can't easily replace the players who are out because we have no money. Without them we are going to struggle to repeat last season's form.

"We are short of bodies and we are not in a position where we can go out and buy another striker at the drop of a hat."

Still, it needed a superb display from Wimbledon keeper Kelvin Davis to stop Millwall claiming only their third home win of the season.

Davis won his battle with Millwall's forwards hands down as he enhanced his reputation as one of the best goalkeepers outside the Premiership.

But McGhee wants his forwards to be more clinical in front of goal, and he fumed: "We practise scoring and we will continue to do that until we get better.

"When we break forward we need to show more quality in and around the box."

Millwall have not beaten their South London neighbours in the League for 20 years, and it looked odds-on that run would be extended when Nethercott put through his own goal.

Jobi McAnuff's 71st-minute cross appeared to pose little danger, but Andy Roberts missed his clearance and Nethercott could only deflect the ball past Tony Warner.

But the former Tottenham man saved his blushes eight minutes from time when he did well to meet Christophe Kinet's cross with a powerful header, to finally break Davis's resistance.

Wimbledon boss Stuart Murdoch was furious with what he claimed was an assist for the goal by referee Paul Rejer.

Murdoch stormed: "I thought if the ref had not got in the way, they might not have scored.

"Damien Francis was impeded by the ref and from that they won a corner.

"We shot ourselves in the foot by giving away possession from that corner, and then they equalised. But we would not have been in that position but for the referee."

Wimbledon had lost their last four League games, and Murdoch was frustrated to see a rare win slip away.

He said: "I'm very happy to get a point, but I was looking forward to celebrating a win. That's typical of the way things have gone for us recently.

On his keeper, he added: "Kelvin was magnificent but that is what he gets paid for. He has high expectations and he lived up to them today."

Until Nethercott took centre stage it had seemed as though this early season relegation battle was going to end goalless thanks to Davis's heroics.

He made his first crucial intervention in the 28th minute when he turned Neil Harris's curling effort away for a corner.

And just before half-time he was at it again with an acrobatic stop to keep out Dennis Wise's quick free kick.

Wimbledon took control at the start of the second half, and came close to scoring twice in two minutes.

Francis blasted over from close range in the 55th minute, and just seconds later Neil Shipperley's header was tipped over by Warner.

Davis did everything he could to ensure Wimbledon held on to Nethercott's generous gift.

He produced a breath- taking stop to deny Belgian winger Kinet.

And then, in the last minute of the match, he went one better by turning away Kinet's goal-bound free kick to preserve a share of the spoils.MAN OF THE MATCH KELVIN DAVIS

Kept the Lions at bay with several brilliant saves.

MILLWALL: Warner 7, Lawrence 6, Nethercott 6, Ward 6, Ryan 6, Ifill 8, Roberts 6, Wise 6, Kinet 7, Davies 7, Harris 6 (Claridge 6).

WIMBLEDON: DAVIS 8, Holloway 6, Leigertwood 6, Gier 6, Hawkins 6, McAnuff 7, Francis 6, Tapp 6, Darlington 6, Shipperley 6, Connolly 7.

MANAGER RATINGS: McGhee 6; Murdoch 7.

REFEREE: P Rejer 7.

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