“I was expecting a punch in the face!” – Millwall man on key moment in win over Preston North End

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Mason Bennett was expecting a punch in the face when he headed Millwall’s midweek winner.

The striker beat Preston keeper Daniel Iversen in a race to be the first to reach Ryan Woods’ chipped ball into the box.

And Bennett, who has netted in three of the last six Championship matches, reckons any pain would have been totally worth it.

“I had to show a bit of courage to get on the end of it,” he said. “I was half expecting a punch in the face.

“I’ve played so many games in my career and when you get in those positions it is a 50-50 with the goalkeeper. He hesitated a little bit and it gave me the extra yard so that I could get the power and loop it up. It meant I could get a good connection on the ball.

“I’d had a couple of half-chances in the first half and then had a couple of chances in the second half, I’d hit the bar with one. I’d spoken to the gaffer and staff about getting in those positions and creating opportunities for myself – I knew eventually I’d put one away.

“I need to get in behind the back four for me to be effective in games. When Woodsy receives the ball and gets his head up then he needs runners. I tried a couple of runs in the first half and it didn’t quite come off because I didn’t quite get the right timing of the run.

“I’m delighted with the goal, but the most important thing is the three points after a disappointing result at the weekend.”

Bennett is enjoying the most prolific season of his career.

The 24-year-old is in the mix to be the club’s top scorer but is still three behind Jed Wallace, who leads the way with seven goals.

Scott Malone, who shares a place with Bennett, is on five and produced another goal of the season contender with a 20-yard effort that curled away from Iversen to cancel out Ched Evans’ opener.

“He is making the Goal Of The Season competition his own,” said Bennett. “I was delighted when Scottie came to the club because we were really close at Derby.

“First and foremost he is a left-back but he also has so much going forward and possesses a wand of a left foot. I don’t really see him do it as often during the week in training but he produces when it counts – on a matchday.”

Malone is on loan from the Rams and will be a free agent at the end of June.

“I’m trying my hardest to make him commit but the most important thing is that he is enjoying it here,” said Bennett.

“He looks forward to going in every day and if that continues to be the case then hopefully one day soon he’ll turn around and sign a new contract.”

Bennett initially joined Millwall on a temporary deal in January 2020 before it was made permanent last August. He finished his Derby career with six goals in 89 appearances – and has hit the same total for the Den outfit in just 39 outings.

Manager Gary Rowett revealed earlier this week that the former England U19 international had lost half a stone in weight this season.

“We are very honest with each other,” said Bennett. “I was getting through the first few games but I wasn’t quite up to my physical optimum.

“I had a little problem with my groin. We went to see a specialist and luckily there was nothing majorly wrong.

“I had to get a programme in place and I also said I wanted to lose a few pounds.

“It wasn’t the fact I was overweight, it was just that I felt if I lost those kilos I could really get up to my maximum sprints in games.

“The gaffer and medical team were supportive of that and I’m reaping the rewards now.

“On the diet side it is about knowing what days I should or shouldn’t really carb up. That was more of a problem when I had eight or nine games where I wasn’t really featuring.

“I’ve managed to sort that with little tweaks here and there. The weight came off and I feel great at the moment.”

Rowett is a firm believer in Bennett, who is still Derby’s youngest debutant at the age of 15 years and 99 days, and reckons that he is capable of scoring double figures in a campaign.

“I know he sees great potential in me and that is nice to hear,” said Bennett. “When I came here in the summer there were a lot of question marks about whether I would stay fit. So that was my focus early on – to make sure I was available for selection every game.

“There were three or four games where I didn’t even have a shot. But now I feel like I’ll shoot whenever it falls for me in the final third and that I can put at least one away.”

Bennett was paired up top with Jed Wallace in Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Barnsley – the pair linking for him to produce a clinical finish across Bradley Collins.

Has he got a preference of a central or wide-left role?

“Not really. Different games are different tactics. I’m just delighted to be getting picked every week. I’d had five or six seasons of not even being in matchday squads.

“It is nice to come here and be trusted to do a job for the team. Whatever is asked of me, I’ll always give 100 per cent.”