Millwall boss Rowett not able to say yet if Mason Bennett’s injury is a fracture

Millwall manager Gary Rowett was unable to provide an exact diagnosis on Mason Bennett’s injury that saw the attacker stretchered off in today’s 1-1 draw against Sunderland.

The Lions were also without influential centre-back Shaun Hutchinson, who missed out on the matchday squad due to a groin injury. Leeds loanee Charlie Cresswell took his place in the backline.

Bennett was stretchered off at half-time with his right leg in a protective brace, with fears he had suffered a fracture.

He went down just before referee Thomas Bramall blew his whistle for the break and needed lengthy treatment on the pitch.

Asked what had happened to Bennett, Rowett replied: “I don’t actually know, is the honest answer. He was still out there at half-time and got stretchered off, wasn’t he?

“If I had to guess, I’d say it was probably a break – but I don’t know. The only reason I would say that is he looked like he rolled his ankle really quickly and the physio said he was in a lot of discomfort and a lot of pain. Usually that suggests it is something very serious, but again I’m surmising off what happened.”

Asked about Hutchinson, Rowett replied: “It just seems to be us at the moment, where we can’t quite find that momentum with the team. We brought in two players to strengthen our squad and then we lose our captain and Benno within days – which is pretty much par for the course for us.

“I don’t know how serious, I think it will be a matter of weeks rather than days. What I would say is that Charlie Cresswell played really well today. Big game for him to come back into. He might’ve felt he needed a really big performance which puts a bit of added pressure on a young player but he coped with it really well. He was excellent today.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD