MCT Lions Living (Sustainability) Ambassador Duncan Watmore scores a brace but Lions beaten in five goal thriller at The Den

Millwall were beaten 3-2 by Watford at The Den in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday afternoon.

Goals from Edo Kayembe and Giorgi Chakvetadze put The Hornets into a 2-0 lead in South London, but Millwall Community Trust Lions Living (Sustainability) Ambassador Duncan Watmore's double seemed to have won The Lions a point, only for Mileta Rajovic's 90th-minute goal to win the game for the visitors.

Millwall also hit the woodwork twice during the 90 minutes.

Neil Harris named Lukas Jensen in goal for the visit of The Hornets, whilst Shaun Hutchinson's second debut was handed to him by the Head Coach in the absence of the suspended Japhet Tanganga.

Liam Roberts and Macaulay Langstaff were selected on a substitute's bench which also included Kevin Nisbet and Aidomo Emakhu.

The emotional tributes to Matija Sarkic took place before kick-off at The Den, with The Lions using the electric atmosphere to their advantage as they made the early running against their opponents; Francisco Sierralta received an early booking for bringing down Tom Bradshaw 30 yards from goal, before reigning Player of the Season Ryan Leonard timed his recovery challenge to perfection, winning a goal-kick at the other end and getting the fans off their feet.

Duncan Watmore's through-ball to the onrushing Joe Bryan was claimed by Daniel Bachmann on 18 minutes, with Watford's first shot in anger coming two minutes as Ryan Andrew shaped to strike low and beyond Jensen into the bottom corner; the Dane, however, stretching to divert the ball wide.From that corner-kick, though, came the opening goal, as Kayembe's set-piece somehow made its way beyond everyone waiting in the penalty area and into the net.

A cross was half-flicked towards goal by the head of Bradshaw as The Lions looked to respond, before patient build-up saw the ball worked into the box, only for the final pass to be blocked. Hutchinson, meanwhile, had to make a last-ditch challenge to prevent The Hornets from being on goal with 10 minutes to play until the half-time break, with more defending to be done just a minute later as Watford advanced into the box.

Millwall's best chance to date then came on 38 minutes as, after Watmore created space in the area and the ball broke to George Honeyman, the midfielder struck the base of the post with his first effort, before his rebound was cleared off the line; there were also suspicions of a foul on Watmore in the build-up, but referee John Busby was unmoved.

George Saville crashed a header against the post five minutes into the second-half as The Lions hit the woodwork for a second time, but on 55 minutes, Watford double their lead via a stunning free-kick from Chakvetadz; the Hornet blasting home from 30 yards out.

Langstaff replaced Honeyman for his Millwall debut on 62 minutes - in a double move that also saw Esse make way for Emakhu - with a lengthy stoppage then following following a nasty clash of heads involving Leonard, but the right-back stayed on, albeit heavily bandaged.

Smart and quick play involving Bradshaw and Watmore then set up an opportunity for Emakhu, with the Irishman seeing his attempt blocked behind, and Saville heading the resulting corner over as another Lions chance went begging.

On 74 minutes, Millwall halved the deficit as dogged play down the left allowed the ball to bounce into the path of Watmore - the attacker making no mistake in guiding an effort home off the crossbar.

Danny McNamara and Kevin Nisbet came on for the final seven minutes of the afternoon, replacing Leonard and Bradshaw, and with two minutes left on the clock, The Lions were level as Saville won back possession in the midfield and played in Watmore, who struck home across goal to equalise.

However, just two minutes later, Watford were to win the game as a fortunate deflection allowed the unmarked Rajovic to nod past Jensen.

There was another chance for Millwall in nine minutes of second-half stoppage-time, but Watmore could only find the save of Bachmann as he looked for his hat-trick. Inviting crosses into the box followed, most notably from Nisbet, but The Lions could not force the ball home for a third time and slipped to a loss.