Robinson the hero as Lions claim promotion

Paul Robinson
12 April 2012

Captain Paul Robinson grabbed the only goal of the game to ensure Millwall finally enjoyed play-off success at the sixth time of asking with a 1-0 victory over Swindon in the Coca-Cola League One final at Wembley.

The centre-back, whose recovery from a broken metatarsal meant he only started last season's 3-2 final defeat to Scunthorpe on the bench, smashed home from close range after Danny Schofield's corner had found its way through.

His 39th-minute goal was nothing less than the Lions deserved having posed the bigger threat throughout against a Town side who saw Charlie Austin slice wide a golden opportunity to level matters when clean through in the second half.

The victory - in front of 73,108 fans - went some way to banishing the memory of five previous play-off defeats for Millwall, who were left celebrating a return to England's second tier following their relegation in 2006.

The Lions looked the livelier up front in the opening exchanges and 23-goal leading scorer Steve Morison coming closest to breaking the deadlock after 17 minutes when his delicate chip beat David Lucas but drifted just inches over the crossbar.

Swindon finally settled somewhat midway through the half and an unmarked Lescinel Jean-Francois came within inches of connecting with Alan Sheehan's free-kick to the far post.

Kevin Amankwaah, a target of the Millwall boo-boys following his verbal spat with Neil Harris earlier in the season, inadvertently headed into his own net soon after only to see his error ruled out for offside. But the half's defining moment came six minutes before the break as Robinson handed Millwall what proved to be the winner.

Town defender Jean-Francois came close to levelling after the break when he saw his header well kept out by the diving David Forde, while Morison then fired straight at Lucas at the other end when he really should have done better.

Swindon's best chance of the game arrived in the 72nd minute when Austin pounced on Robinson's mis-guided header to find himself clean through. But the ball bounced up off the much-maligned Wembley turf just as the 20-year-old was about to shoot and his effort was uncharacteristically directed horribly wide.

Morison could have put the final beyond doubt in the last 15 minutes but he wasted a couple of great openings. And it was left for Forde to deny Austin with a last-ditch save deep into the injury time to send Swindon's players to the ground and Millwall into the Championship.

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