United can thank their lucky stars that Cardiff City were already relegated as they had to pull out all the stops in their final Division 2 match at The Den on Saturday to prevent Millwall winning at a canter.

And yet, as so often happens in football, having survived raid upon raid in the first half, they looked the more threatening as the game came to an end and it was the Millwall fans who were biting their nails desperate for the final whistle to sound.

Millwall needed to win and hope that either Bristol Rovers or Stoke slipped up, and their players soon realised, by the enormous roars from pockets of supporters, that results were going their way. But they were hanging on grimly in the closing minutes and when referee Mark Warren did blow for the last time, an almighty cheer of relief erupted from 13,000 fans.

"The players from both sides and the officials had to make a desperate dash for the tunnel as thousands of Millwall fans invaded the pitch.

The scene should have been of jubliation, but there was an underlying menace as well and the players were rightly concerned for their own safety.

United took an excellent following of around 950 supporters but they must have feared the worst when Millwall began at breakneck speed.

From their first corner, flicked on at the near post, ex-Manor favourite Paul Moody got a firm header in which Richard Knight saved high to his right.

And in the seventh minute, the Londoners took the lead. Matthew Lawrence pounced on a loose ball on the right edge of the penalty area and his deft cross was headed home by Neil Harris - his 24th of the season. With several Millwall players showing a high level of skill and United penned back in their own box, the signs were that it could be a heavy home win.

But referee Warren remained strong as Millwall players tried whatever they could to earn a penalty.

After the early one-way traffic, Oxford enjoyed a good spell midway through the half.

Phil Whelan headed over a corner from Eddie Newton, and Paul Powell, bursting through on the left, was cynically brought down just outside the area. However, Derek Lilley was too shy to shoot from the free kick and the set piece was too intricate to succeed.

Disaster struck United left back Neil McGowan as he felt agony in his left leg following a heavy but far challenge from Carhill. It was the same leg that McGowan had broken in January, and he thumped the ground in frustration and anger. He was stretchered off but reports from the dressing room later were inconclusive. Later it was revealed that he had damaged his knee and ankle ligements, rather than another break.

United were unlucky not to level just before half-time as Steve Davis directed a downward header from another Newton corner at goal and keeper Tony Warner just plucked the ball away from the line. United appealed that the ball had crossed the line.

The second half was a story of United enjoying great possession and trying to strike back, and Millwall nervously going into a shell. The home side knew that a win would be enough but the nerves set in and their play suffered.

The closing stages will be remembered by Oxford fans for a brilliant dragback by Powell to beat his marker, Johann Cruyff-style, and the away fans began singing "There's only one Paul Powell." But the day belonged to Millwall. The win took them into the play-offs while Oxford finished the season with just 45 points, normally a total which would bring relegation.

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