Leicester succumb to the menace of Dennis
Millwall 2 Leicester City
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Would you believe it – or as they say in these parts, would you Adam and Eve it? Leicester may have got rid of Dennis Wise three months ago but they must have known that was not going to be the end of the story and their worst fears were realised in south-east London yesterday.
The midfielder was sacked in August for punching a team-mate and, when he fetched up at Millwall, he must have looked for this fixture right away. The influence he had on the game, including scoring the equaliser nine minutes from time and advising his goalkeeper Tony Warner where to dive to save an injury-time penalty, suggested as much.
For Leicester, the Wise case refuses to go away. He is suing the club for wrongful dismissal after breaking Callum Davidson's jaw on a pre-season tour and the City manager Micky Adams summed up how the ghost of the former England international haunts the club.
He said: "There has been a lot of hype about from day one. I would love a quiet week, but three of my players will probably get arrested at Stringfellows tonight."
Yet Wise, for all his reputation, was the innocent party when he was tackled from behind by Brian Deane, a challenge that earned the striker a red card. It seemed as if Deane and Davidson had singled out Wise for retribution, although both coaches denied it. But like the experienced professional he is, he refused to rise to the bait and, in extracting the foul from Deane, Wise got his club back into the game. As the Millwall manager Mark McGhee said: "With 11 versus 11 we had no chance. Deane's red card threw us a lifeline."
The sending off happened after 13 minutes, by which time Leicester had taken a two-goal lead. Inside three minutes, Matt Heath and Jordan Stewart appeared to set up a certain victory. But you would never have known it if you were walking past the stadium. With no Leicester fans allowed in, you could have heard Deane breathe down Wise's neck.
Not that Adams wanted to criticise his striker too heavily. "I was disappointed with the lack of discipline," was all he said. Davidson, for a foul on Wise, soon followed Deane off the pitch, but that was a sensible substitution by Adams, who feared seeing his side reduced to nine men.
Millwall pulled a goal back after 27 minutes when Ian Walker could not hold on to a shot from Andy Roberts and substitute Steven Reid, only introduced three minutes earlier, shot home on his first appearance of the season. They later got the leveller their pressure deserved, when Ben May pulled his cross back for Wise.
That was not the end of the drama, though, as the referee Steve Bennett awarded the visitors a penalty in injury-time. Wise gave Warner some suggestions and he apparently took note, falling to his left to save Izzet's spot-kick.
McGhee called it "theatre": Revenger's Tragedy would have summed it up.
Millwall 2
Reid 28, Wise 81
Leicester City 2
Heath 1, Stewart 3
Half-time 1-2 Attendance: 10,772
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments