MASON BENNETT hasn’t enjoyed Millwall’s break from Championship action.
With the Lions’ match against Burnley postponed due to the FA Cup, the first-team squad were given the weekend off. Bennett went back up north to see his friends and family, but more than anything, he wanted to be out on the pitch.
Nonetheless, the forward understands that it could end up benefiting Gary Rowett’s men in the coming weeks, especially given their hectic fixture list in February.
“Part of you wants to keep playing, but another part of you thinks you need to be as fresh as you can going into this period of games,” he told NewsAtDen.
“I think everyone is in the same boat in the league. It’s going to be down to who can grind it out and who’s got that grittiness about them to get through this tough period.
“We’ve got tough games coming up, but there aren’t any easy games in this league.
“You could play Rotherham one week and they’ll be shocking, then they’ll go and get a point at Watford. It’s an up-and-down league.
“We’re doing well at the moment and everyone is seeing that, I’m sure the fans can see that. It’s time to just keep going, kick on and secure a play-off spot.”
On a personal level, Bennett is pleased with the progress he has made.
The 26-year-old admitted that his teammates were taking it easy on him given his injury record, but a discussion with Rowett has prompted Millwall to take a different approach to his training routine.
“I had a one-on-one chat with the gaffer,” he revealed.
“We spoke about how there was a thing going around the training ground, ‘let’s look after Benno’, but we came to the agreement that I just need to play as many minutes as I can and give everything like I always will.
“If I blow up, I blow up, that’ll be down to me then. I’ve just got to hopefully get in the team, stay in the team and keep going and keep playing games.”
*Read more from Mason Bennett in this week’s Southwark News, including his past experiences of transfer deadline day and why he thinks Millwall’s new recruits can make a difference in the final months of the season.
Photo: Millwall FC