Full-time: Cheltenham Town 1 Millwall 3. Cheltenham Town's sixth successive defeat was a perfect example of why they are likely to be playing Coca-Cola League Two football next season.

The Robins were by far the better side in the first half and deservedly went in 1-0 up at the break, looking firmly on course to end their dismal run of 12 matches without a win against a very poor Millwall side.

But they conceded a penalty early in the second half and heads quickly dropped.

A Cheltenham side desperately short of confidence then simply fell apart, allowing the Lions to score two more and go on to win comfortably.

It all started so promisingly for the Robins, with Ian Westlake testing David Forde in the fourth minute with a left-footed shot that the Millwall goalkeeper stretched to turn around his right post.

Skipper John Finnigan dictated much of the play in the middle of the pitch as a very poor Millwall side were forced to play second fiddle to League One's bottom side.

Cheltenham forced six corners to Millwall's none in the opening 45 minutes, an illustration of their superiority.

From one of David Bird's flag-kicks, Drissa Diallo saw a header deflected on to the top of the crossbar in the 10th minute.

Finnigan volleyed wide after another corner was cleared to him 25 yards out, but the deadlock was broken after half an hour.

Marley Watkins, who showed some skilful touches and made some bright runs on his full debut, whipped in a low cross that Richard Duffy inadvertently booted into his own net as he tried to clear.

Goalkeeper Scott Brown, who was so busy at Leeds as well as at Stockport County four days earlier, had one of his quietest halves of the season as the half-fit Vincent Pericard toiled aimlessly in attack.

The former Portsmouth striker was cautioned in first-half stoppage-time for attempting to reach James Henry's cross from the right wing with his hand – a sign of Millwall's frustration.

Millwall boss Kenny Jackett made a double substitution at half-time, clearly unhappy with what he had seen, but Cheltenham almost doubled their lead in the 48th minute.

Nicholas Bignall's cross from the left reached Watkins and he directed his powerful downward header inches wide of the right post.

Millwall were handed a lifeline in the 49th minute when Pericard fed Henry on the right and his low cross was handled by Ridley and a spot-kick was given.

Henry, on loan from Reading, stepped up and sent Brown the wrong way to make it 1-1 in the 50th minute.

At the other end, Cheltenham's Elvis Hammond went down looking for a penalty in the 52nd minute, but his appeals were waved away and several Millwall players accused him of going to ground rather easily.

A rejuvenated Millwall took the lead after an hour. Henry's low ball from the right was nudged over the line by substitute Ashley Grimes and the vast majority of Cheltenham's second-smallest home crowd of the season were silenced.

Finnigan was cautioned for a late challenge on Jimmy Abdou in the 64th minute and he was quickly replaced by Lloyd Owusu, while the fit-again Ashley Vincent went on in for Hammond.

Shane Duff then headed off the line from Grimes, who had raced clear on to a long ball from Henry and lifted the ball over the advancing Brown in the 71st minute.

Wolves youngster Ashley Hemmings was sent on for his Robins debut in the 73rd minute, but he could not spark any late fireworks and Grimes set up Marc Laird for Millwall's third in the final minute as Cheltenham's miserable season continues.

Cheltenham Town: Brown; Westwood, Duff, Diallo, Ridley; Finnigan (Owusu 66), Bird, Westlake; Watkins, Hammond (Vincent 66), Bignall (Hemmings 75). Subs not used: Puddy, Gallinagh.

Millwall: Forde; Duffy, Whitbread, Craig, Frampton; Martin, Abdou, Bolder (Laird 46), Henry; Pericard ( Harris 75), McLeod (Grimes 46). Subs not used: Barron, Pidgeley.