Millwall managed to overcome Swindon but it was not enough to secure automatic promotion.
Win not enough for Lions to sneak into second place
Millwall managed to overcome rivals Swindon 3-2 at the New Den but it was not enough to secure automatic promotion to the Championship.
Steve Morison stole the show for the Lions with a brace but the hosts, who lost in the League One play-off final to Scunthorpe last year, are forced to settle for a third-place finish and a play-off semi-final double-header against Huddersfield after Leeds came back to beat Bristol Rovers at Elland Road.
It was the Robins, also in the hunt for second place, who took the lead within three minutes through Danny Ward's early strike before Morison's double was sandwiched between Gordon Greer's own goal.
Billy Paynter's late effort acted as a consolation for Danny Wilson's fifth placed team, who will take on Charlton in the other play-off semi-final clash.
In the opening minutes, Shaun Batt spurned an opportunity to put the Lions in front before Ward punished Paul Robinson's loose clearance by guiding his crisply-struck volley in to the bottom corner.
Millwall fought back and after Batt was bundled over by Jonathan Douglas, Morison tidily converted the spot-kick to equalise.
The Lions controlled throughout and the breakthrough finally arrived when Morison surged forward and his vicious cross was turned in by the unfortunate Greer.
Morison's superb 20-yard looping volley sent the New Den wild but Leeds came from behind before Paynter's powerful 85th-minute 25-yard free-kick reduced Swindon's arrears.
