Boro 1 (Cole 22p) Millwall 2 (Morison 2, 63) STEVE Morison scored two goals on his return to the Lamex Stadium for Millwall as Boro slipped to the first defeat of their pre-season campaign. Former Boro favourite Morison wasted no time in marking his

Boro 1 (Cole 22p)

Millwall 2 (Morison 2, 63)

STEVE Morison scored two goals on his return to the Lamex Stadium for Millwall as Boro slipped to the first defeat of their pre-season campaign.

Former Boro favourite Morison wasted no time in marking his return with a goal taking just two minutes to find the back of the net. The striker, who switched to the New Den earlier this summer, surged through the middle of the Boro defence before coolly slotting the ball past Chris Day.

The action was thick and fast with Stacy Long firing a free kick narrowly over the bar less than a minute later.

Boro recovered and as the game progressed began to get into their rhythm. Mitchell Cole's searching cross had to be turned away by Scott Barron with Lawrie Wilson and Ronnie Henry lurking should the Lions fullback have slipped up.

Morison continued to unsettle his former team-mates at the back and probably should have done better when he headed wide from David Martin's cross.

Boro drew level in the 22nd minute from the penalty spot. Wilson did well to cut in from the wing and, as he jinked his way in to the box, he was fouled by Barron with referee Burt immediately pointing to the spot. Up stepped Cole, who confidently sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.

Day produced a great save to deny Morison a second when he blocked the striker's fierce header following a great cross from Martin.

Millwall striker Gary Alexander endeared himself to the Boro faithful with a trio of late challenges, which led to several more hard challenges flying in throughout the game.

Seven minutes before the break a Joel Byrom cross was flicked on by Murphy to Bostwick but the former Millwall man could only steer his header over the bar.

Boro flew out of the blocks after the break. Cole chased down a ball in to the corner and fired in a cross but Long could only head wide.

A rare Millwall counter-attack found Jimmy Abdou free on the edge of the area but the midfielder dragged his shot harmlessly wide.

Eleven minutes in to the second half a foul by Byrom on Abdou sparked a mass confrontation, with both goalkeepers running from either end of the field to get involved. Murphy took a dislike to Abdou's reaction to the challenge and pushed the Lions man sparking the 22-man incident with both Abdou and Murphy finding their names in the referee's notebook as a result.

Henry was booked soon after for a nothing foul on Alexander, a decision that was hard to fathom following Alexander's earlier unpunished indiscretions.

Just as Boro did in the first half, Millwall grew as the second period continued. Morison found Martin in space and, although the winger was able to cut inside the box, good pressure from Bostwick meant he could only fire over the bar.

Millwall regained the lead in the 63rd minute and it was that man Morison again. The striker latched onto a long ball and flicked it over the advancing Day and in to the empty net for his second goal of the game and his second in Lions colours.

Morison then turned provider, flighting a lovely ball to the far post for Neil Harris but Day pulled off a smart save to deny the striker.

Harris then rose highest to meet Chris Hackett's cross but his header flew harmlessly over the bar.

With 18 minutes remaining Cole and Chris Beardsley exchanged a neat one-two on the edge of the area but Cole shot straight at David Forde.

Forde produced a great save to deny a David Bridges volley after Bostwick's blocked free kick fell kindly to the Boro midfielder on the edge of the area as Boro continued to push for an equaliser.

A good run by Wilson resulted in the ball squirming into Lee Boylan's path but the former Cambridge man fired wastefully over the bar.

There was still time for Wilson to blaze over the bar from a quick Cole free kick but Boro couldn't find a way through to deny Morison a winning return.

Boro: (4-4-2): Day 7; Henry 7, Bostwick 7, Roberts 6 (Ashton 81), Laird 6; Wilson 7*, Byrom 7 (Bridges 60), Murphy 6 (Boylan 81), Long 6 (Beardsley 69); Cole 7, Griffin 6 (Odubade 74). Subs: Bayes, Odhiambo, Ashton, Odubade, Beardsley, Anderson, Vincenti, Boylan, Albrighton, Bridges, Doyle.

Millwall (4-4-2): Forde; Dunne, Frampton, Craig, Barron (Smith 81); Hackett, Bolder, Abdou (Fuseini 68), Martin; Morison, Alexander (Harris 68). Subs: Senda, Sullivan, Smith, Grabban, Fuseini, Laird, Harris, Grimes, Price, Hughes-Mason.

Referee: S.Burt