MILLWALL will be without Mason Bennett and Jake Cooper is a doubt for the first round of the EFL Cup against Portsmouth on Tuesday evening.
Cooper has a back problem and boss Gary Rowett said he had injections in the area last week. Rowett could keep Cooper back for the first home league game of the season against Blackburn on Saturday.
Pompey are set to take up to 2,000 fans to The Den. Jed Wallace is playing against his former club and he enjoyed the atmosphere at QPR in front of more than 16,000 supporters.
“I loved it,” he told millwallfc.co.uk. “What an unreal feeling. Myself, more than most, haven’t enjoyed the last 18 months, so what a great feeling.
“We started the game really well and were strong. I think QPR will be there or thereabouts this season. The game swung both ways and a draw was probably a fair result in the end.
“A point is a good start and with two home games to come now at The Den, with fans back – we’re buzzing for it.”
Meanwhile, Shaun Williams could return to The Den despite pulling out of the warm-up with a back injury before Portsmouth’s 1-0 win at Fleetwood on Saturday.
“I don’t know, we will have a look at it. Sometimes these things go very quickly,” boss Danny Cowley told The News in Portsmouth.
“What happens is the stress response when you put your back out is for all the muscles to go into this horrible spasm.
“It can feel a lot worse in 24-48 hours when the inflammation drops and then it starts to ease quite considerably.
“Shaun has trained every session in pre-season, it’s incredible for a 34-year-old.
“There are those we call compromised athletes, you are always trying to get their load right during the training week because they are different to some of the other athletes.
“He has just wanted to do everything, he loves football, he’s been great.
“Shaun picked up his little boy on Thursday evening, he had got into his bed that night. So went to put him into his own bed and felt his back then.
“It’s very low level – then you had the journey and it stiffened.”
If Williams doesn’t play, another former Lions midfielder, Ryan Tunnicliffe, could be partnered by Connor Oglivie.
Cowley added: “We’d primed Connor, he did great on his debut playing out of position. I don’t think he has ever played in the centre of midfield in his senior career.
“To be able to do that on your debut like he did was great.”
Possible Millwall starting XI: Long; McNamara, Ballard, Hutchinson, M Wallace, Malone; Leonard, Kieftenbeld, Saville; J Wallace, Smith.
Match odds: Millwall 4/7 Draw 12/5 Portsmouth 2/1
Last meeting: Championship (April 10, 2012: Portsmouth 0-1 Millwall (Kane, 37).
Image: Millwall FC