Blackburn rescue a point in nervous relegation six-pointer

Having dominated the match in terms of possession and balance of play, disaster struck when substitute Michael Obafemi put the Lions ahead just into the second half.

The Burnley loanee sensed his opportunity as Rovers failed to clear their lines and a tough 35 minutes lay in store for Eustace's side to get back into the game.

Millwall until that point had shown little interest in attacking or keeping the ball but were keen on sitting deep in a well-organised, rigid defensive line. They defended their box excellently and made it very difficult for Rovers to create chances.

Fortunately, the away side contributed to their own downfall. A loose pass was seized on by Arnor Sigurdsson and he squared it to Szmodics to emphatically fire Rovers level. 20 for the season in the Championship for their star man.

In a match Rovers started the night needing to win, they struggled to really throw everything at Millwall for fear of losing it. There was plenty of intent from the hosts but Matija Sarkic in the opposition goal had very little to do.

It means Eustace is now six Championship games without a victory as head coach with eight games in an incredibly condensed 24-day period. Given how tight things are at the bottom and Rovers' run-in, they need a win soon.

The scene was set for a big night at Ewood Park with Rovers' hopes of staying in the Championship hanging in the balance.

The reality is that nothing will be decided this week but back-to-back home matches against a side right around them would go a long way in deciding their future.

Millwall's back-to-back wins had spurred their optimism that they could climb clear of the bottom three. Neil Harris' return coincided with an injection of confidence and trailed Rovers by only goals scored ahead of kick-off.

The optimism injected by an inspiring performance against Newcastle had been quickly drained by a sluggish - and in the end costly - opening half an hour at Swansea City. And nobody could dress up two wins in 17.

Rovers were handed a pre-match blow with Aynsley Pears unable to play due to illness. That meant a recall for Leopold Wahlstedt in his first appearance since January 13.

Given Millwall's reputation for aerial bombardment, it was a big night for the goalkeeper, who needed a reaction after a big dip in form over the Christmas period.

Jake Garrett was also recalled to stiffen up the midfield with Andrew Moran making way.

Rovers knew what they'd get from Millwall. As Szmodics aptly put on Monday: "They will try and bully us, run all over us. It's up to us to stand up to that."

Millwall brought their usual grit and determination and made the game difficult for Rovers. They had so little of the ball but sat in a low, rigid 4-4-2 shape and frustrated the life out of Rovers.

Eustace's side finished the first half with 70 per cent of the ball but couldn't find a way through the Millwall rearguard. They did all the right things, moving it side to side and trying to pull the stubborn Lions apart.

But it proved to be like a knot. The more they tugged, the tighter it got. Szmodics had a few half sniffs at goal, a shot easily caught at the near post and another wildly over the bar.

It was a low-key half for goal-mouth action but Millwall had the best opportunity. On a very rare foray forward they won a corner, which was flicked on and turned just wide of the far post by Zian Flemming.

Half-time changes saw Ben Chrisene introduced for the presumably injured Callum Brittain, whilst Burnley loanee Obafemi was brought on up front. You can already sense where this is heading, right?

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Millwall scored with their first shot on target through Obafemi. Rovers had several chances to clear the ball, passed them up and the striker rifled the Lions into the lead with 35 minutes to protect it.

Millwall offered very little in the first half but they offered far more in the second. Obafemi's pace got him in-behind and he squared for George Honeyman but he could not get a touch as the ball flashed across goal.

That proved to be a decisive moment as Szmodics grabbed his 20th Championship goal shortly after. Millwall shot themselves in the foot with a loose pass, seized on by Sigurdsson and Szmodics emphatically sidefooted Rovers level.

The noise was sheer relief around Ewood Park and then a roar to spur their team on for the winner. 

Rovers continued to probe with Sigurdsson bright from the bench but they couldn't fashion a clear sight at goal. Eustace turned to his bench for more inspiration but his calls weren't answered.

For all Rovers' intent and goodwill, they did not create enough clear-cut chances to trouble Sarkic. The Millwall goalkeeper left Ewood Park having only really had to pick the ball out of his net.

There was one last test for the Lions stopper in added time as Yasin Ayari's strike from distance forced a good save, tipped behind for a corner. That proved to be the closest they would come.

Many supporters felt two wins were imperative from this three-match run. Swansea and Millwall have yielded one point, making Plymouth Argyle simply a must-win.

It remains so tight at the bottom and as many as seven teams remain drawn into the relegation battle. Rovers are certainly one of those and need a three-point haul soon with such a tough run-in.

Leicester City, Ipswich Town, Leeds United and Southampton all make up the run-in for Rovers with two of those on the road. Coventry City and Sheffield Wednesday could still have plenty to play for by the time they visit Ewood Park too.