A COLOURFUL fan-file in the Millwall match-day programme interrogated an affable Eastender nicknamed Tel Boy!

None of the usual question and answer stuff here.

Forget favourite film, food or pop star. The editor went straight for the jugular.

"Any Millwall tatoos, Tel?" "No. Although I did think about it once."

Tel's uncomplimentary pen-picture would have given the Kray Twins a run for their money.

And the fearsome sight of Tel Boy somehow set the scene for an intimidating three and a half hours hours in the East End Bad Lands.

There was a genuine sense of foreboding and unease when the 12.33 slow train from London Bridge pulled into the station with no name. It was, in fact, South Bermondsey - disguised as an air-raid shelter! With every single sign removed, a huge flight of stairs delivered you into sight of the New Den.

Outside, several, mean, shaven-haired lads hovered around the concourse. The best option was to keep walking.

Events did not improve. The nervous five-minute hike from the station to the stadium, a goal-kick away from the old old Cold Blow Lane ground, resembled a set from the 1970s cops and robbers show The Sweeney.

Tucked underneath several railway viaducts, scrapyards were patrolled by snarling Alsation dogs.

You half expected Jack Regan and Sargeant Carter to shin over the wall in pursuit of Jack the Hat after a blagging in Peckham Rye!

Even manager Jimmy Nicholl did not get off lightly. His pre-match column is sponsored by "No-One Likes Us ", Millwall's excellent fanzine. And the healthy band of Burnley fans who had braved this test of nerve would not be wrong in their assessment: The Clarets deserved a share of the spoils.

You were certainly confident in Burnley's resilience to survive Millwall's second half onslaught.

There was just 11 minutes left on the giant New Den electric scoreboard when Australian teenager Lucas Neill tricked his way into sight of the Clarets goal.

Neill saw the opening and delivered a howling 25-yard curler into Marlon Beresford's top corner.

"That goal was a real beauty but a couple of our defenders had gone to ground," conceded manager Adrian Heath.

The Fleet Street big guns, farmed out to the New Den in the absence of a Premiership programme, were appreciative of the footballing fayre on offer. And so there is. The 90 minutes underlined that, although we had to wait until the second half exploded into life.

Heath had made a couple of changes from the side beaten 3-1 by Shrewsbury in midweek.

Damian Matthew was restored to the Clarets midfield while Liam Robinson was handed his first Division Two start of the campaign, with Andy Cooke relegated to the substitute's bench.

And Burnley probably carved out the best opportunities in front of goal in the first period.

First, Liam Robinson, released by Marlon Beresford's early throw, raced the length of the pitch before shooting narrowly wide.

Then Kurt Nogan pulled central defenders Damian Webber and Tony Witter apart, only to see his unselfish effort flash across the face of the Millall goal.

Moments later only a cracking reflex save by goalkeeper Tim Carter denied the Clarets' leading goal-scorer.

"There was at least three occasions in the first half when had two on one situations and didn't make it count," observed Heath. "Our final ball was a little bit disappointing."

And Millwall made Burnley pay dearly for that profligacy.

Lucas Neill set the tone with a bristling shot which saw Beresford save low at his post.

And with Burnley forced to re-jig their defensive ranks following the loss of Gerry Harrison, Millwall forged ahead.

Neill, who ducked and dived all game, carved for Bobby Dowry and Jason Dair to combine.

Dair's shot was only half-cleared and Ricky Newman did the rest, hooking his opportunity home.

But with Millwall in the ascendancy, Burnley were level four minutes later.

The Clarets won an advantage on the left-flank. David Eyres' powerhouse throw-in delivered the ball into the heart of the Millwall danger area.

Andy Cooke bravely challenged goalkeeper Tim Carter who got in a terrible tangle with his defenders.

And there was Kurt Nogan to head home from six yards out.

That was Kurt's seventh goal of the season, including the three he scored on the tour to Northern Ireland. A remarkable start.

But, ultimately, it was Neill's moment of individual brilliance which delivered Millwall their first league win at the New Den since relegation from the First Division.

There was plenty to commend Burnley's performance on, despite the result.

And the Clarets have shown enough early promise to suggest they could be one of the leading lights challenging for promotion next May.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.