Millwall 2 - 2 Birmingham

Stan Lazaridis steered home the winning spot-kick for Blues, who twice led through goals from Julian Gray and Emile Heskey but were pegged back by fine equalising goals, first from Alan Dunne and then from Marvin Elliott.

• Bruce lifted by back-to-back wins

Four Birmingham fans were arrested before the match, and police were called to prevent Millwall fans in the main stand rushing towards their Blues counterparts behind one of the goals early in the contest.

The prospect of violence had clouded the build-up to the match after the riots that left several police and fans injured after the play-off semi-final here in May 2002.

But the visitors did not allow the off-pitch events to distract them, and they took the lead in the 10th minute.

Heskey took advantage of some slack defending to release Gray, and the winger shot across Lenny Pidgeley - with Millwall on a seven-day 'emergency' loan from Chelsea - from left to right for his second goal in two games.

Carl Asaba sustained an injury in the move that led to Birmingham's goal and was replaced by Ben May almost immediately.

In the 15th minute, Barry Hayles believed Millwall should have won a penalty when his header was blocked by Martin Taylor, but referee Graham Poll ruled the ball had hit the Blues defender's chest.

Heskey should have made it two in the 24th minute. Gray outpaced Phil Ifil on the left and cut the ball back to Heskey in space inside the area, but the former England striker shot well over from 10 yards.

His error gave Millwall renewed confidence. Hayles again combined with Dunne, who in turn released the unmarked Jermaine Wright - only for the on-loan Leeds player to steer his effort wide of Nico Vaesen's left post when he should have hit the target.

Jody Morris fired wide from the edge of the area in the 28th minute after Mario Melchiot had headed a Dunne cross into his path, while at the other end Matthew Upson twice went close to doubling Birmingham's lead - but Pidgeley was equal to both efforts.

Before those chances, luckless Millwall had suffered their second injury of the half, with Carlos Fangueiro replacing Ifil.

Pidgeley rescued his team again in the 29th minute, keeping out Nicky Butt's 20-yard effort after Gray had escaped down the left once more.

Dunne scored a superb equaliser for Millwall in the 57th minute, shaking off Walter Pandiani on the left before curling a terrific 22-yard shot into Vaesen's top right corner.

David Dunn replaced Pandiani after an hour for Birmingham and, with his first touch, sent Heskey clear with an intelligent through-ball, but the powerful forward was wayward, blasting well wide from 20 yards.

Five minutes later, Heskey let the home side off the hook again after rounding Pidgeley and steered the ball inches wide of the right post from a difficult angle.

May wasted a chance for the hosts, while Pidgeley saved from Stephen Clemence as the game moved into extra-time.

With legs tiring on both sides, it was always likely that the next goal would come from a mistake.

And so it proved when Jermaine Pennant swung over a corner from the left, Pidgeley could only parry the unmarked Upson's header and Heskey prodded in the loose ball from two yards.

Millwall equalised for a second time when Elliott collected a loose ball on the edge of the box and drilled a precise left-footed shot into the bottom-right corner, and the match went to penalties.

But the spot-kicks proved a bridge too far for Millwall, substitute Lazaridis sealing a 4-3 shoot-out triumph for Blues after Hayles and May had missed their kicks for the home side.