Blues kept their nerve to beat Millwall on penalties to progress to the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup this evening after a thrilling encounter at the New Den.

The teams could not be separated after 120 minutes of football and a 2-2 draw meant the victors would be decided by a shoot-out.

And Stan Lazaridis converted the decisive kick to put Blues through to the final eight and keep the dream of silverware alive.

Steve Bruce's side had created a host of chances in the opening 45 minutes and maybe should have had more than Julian Gray's tenth minute strike to show for their endeavours at the break.

But it was a different story after the interval when the visitors failed to build on their first half dominance and allowed Millwall to play themselves back into the game.

Although there was no argument with the quality of the equaliser as Alan Dunne curled the ball over Nico Vaesen from the right edge of the penalty area.

The game went into extra time and Blues looked to have secured victory when Emile Heskey forced the ball home from close range.

But with just four minutes remaining of added time, Marvin Elliott scored his side's second equalising goal of the evening to take the game to a shoot-out.

Bruce made six changes to the side that started the Premiership game at Sunderland.

Jamie Clapham, Jermaine Pennant, Nicky Butt, Stephen Clemence, Julian Gray and Walter Pandiani were recalled to the line-up.

The Blues boss chose to rest Kenny Cunningham, Damien Johnson and Muzzy Izzet; David Dunn and Jiri Jarosik were dropped to the bench whilst Neil Kilkenny was unfortunate not to make the 16.

Blues made the perfect start to the tie when Gray continued his rich vein of form by converting the first real chance of the game on ten minutes.

Heskey and Pandiani combined well to create the shooting opportunity for Gray on the left side of the box and the weekend goal hero showed great compusure to shoot past Millwall loanee keeper Lenny Pidgeley.

Millwall's chances of causing an upset were cast a further blow when experienced striker Carl Asaba was forced to leave the action to be replaced by Ben May.

Gray was terrorising the Millwall defence during the first half and another great run set up Heskey but the big striker fired well over the bar.

Blues did survive one scare when, after a mistake from Clemence, Dunne set up Jermaine Wright but the on-loan Leeds player fired wide from 12 yards when it looked easier to score.

Jody Morris fired just wide of the target soon afterwards as the home side worked hard to get back into the game.

But Lee was again forced to reshuffle his pack when injury saw the withdrawal of Philip Ifil with Carlos Fanguiero introduced.

After surviving a brief spell of pressure from the hosts, the action switched back to the other end where Matthew Upson was twice denied by Pidgeley.

The Blues defender saw a header and a shot saved by the young Chelsea graduate as Blues pushed for a second goal that would have surely killed the tie off.

The Millwall keeper was doing his reputation no harm at all with a string of saves and he was called into action again to block Nicky Butt's 20-yard shot.

Half-time: 0-0

Gray and Pandiani both had shooting chances early in the second half with the latter seeing his effort blocked for a corner.

But just as Blues were seemingly coasting into the next round, Millwall levelled the scores on 57 minutes to rock their higher-graded opponents.

Dunne dispossessed Pandiani, then cut inside on the right and curled a superb left footed shot from 20 yards into the top corner.

After watching his side undone by Dunne, Bruce decided it was time to bring on his own version with David Dunn replacing Pandiani, in the hope to revitalise a Blues side that was struggling to repeat their first half exploits.

Soon afterwards Heskey was gifted a golden chance to restore his side's lead when he latched on to Fanguiero's poor back pass but after rounding Pidgeley, the striker just missed the target from the narrowest of angles.

And Blues were almost made to pay when Hayles' cross found May who failed to hit the target with his near post flick.

As the threat of extra-time drew closer, Clemence got in a goalbound shot that was easily saved by Pidgeley.

And Pennant had a late opportunity to create some goalmouth havoc, but Pidgeley's unorthodox punch cleared the danger.

Normal time: 1-1

Jiri Jarosik was introduced to the action at the start of the extra time in place of Clemence.

Upson had his name taken for a foul on Elliot but the Blues defender was to make a far more positive contribution just minutes later at the opposite end of the pitch.

Not for the first time in the evening, Upson rose highest in the penalty area to connect to Pennant's left wing corner and whilst Pidgeley was again equal to the task, he failed to hold onto the ball and Heskey pounced to clip the ball over the unfortunate Millwall keeper.

Jarosik failed to hit the target just before the interval in extra time but Blues were still delighted to go into the final 15 minutes with a one-goal advantage.

The Czech international had another opportunity to ensure victory just after the turn-around but scooped his shot just wide of the post.

Millwall were a whisker away from equalising for the second time when May's excellent free-kick was deflected inches wide.

But unbelievably the home side did again level the tie when the ball arrived at Elliott's feet on the edge of the area and the youngster fired home past Vaesen.

PENALTY SHOOT-OUT
Hayles (Milwall) MISS! 0-0
Butt (Blues) GOAL! 0-1
Wright (Millwall) GOAL! 1-1
Dunn (Blues) GOAL! 1-2
Craig (Millwall) GOAL! 2-2
Jarosik (Blues) GOAL! 2-3
May (Millwall) SAVED! 2-3
Pennant (Blues) SAVED! 2-3
Dunne (Millwall) GOAL! 3-3
Lazaridis (Blues) GOAL! 3-4
BLUES WIN 4-3 ON PENS

Millwall: Lenny Pidgeley, Marvin Elliott, Paul Robinson, Alan Dunne, Dave Livermore, Tony Craig, Carl Asaba (Ben May 11), Jody Morris (Josh Simpson 98), Barry Hayles, Philip Ifil (Carlos Fanguiero 29), Jermaine Wright.
Subs: Jamie Vincent, Josh Simpson, Kevin Braniff.
Bookings: Fanguiero, Craig, Robinson
Goals: Dunne, Elliott

Blues: Nico Vaesen, Mario Melchiot, Jamie Clapham, Martin Taylor, Matthew Upson, Jermaine Pennant, Stephen Clemence (Jiri Jarosik 90), Nicky Butt, Julian Gray (Stan Lazaridis 105), Walter Pandiani (David Dunn 62), Emile Heskey.
Subs: Maik Taylor, Olivier Tebily, Stan Lazaridis, Jiri Jarosik.
Bookings: Gray, Upson, Butt
Goals: Gray, Heskey

Attendance: 7,732 (1,199 Blues fans)