|
Manager Neil McDonald today admitted Lumsdon will be a "big miss" but said his replacement - likely to be Neale McDermott - must now rise to the challenge of filling the playmaker's boots, McDonald commenting :
"Lummy will be a big miss - the fact he's started every game tells you that. He started off the season excellently, then went through a little dip but he came through that, and it's a real shame for him to get injured. But we have got players waiting to come in and if someone gets injured, it gives someone else a chance and they have to make the most of that."
Lumsdon suffered the injury in a first-half challenge with Brentford's Michael Leary in Saturday's 0-0 draw, as he tried to reach an underhit pass from team-mate Paul Thirlwell. He also twisted his ankle in the tackle and Blues physio Neil Dalton said a timescale for Lumsdon's return will not be fully known until the swelling on the injury goes down.
However, Dalton said the worst-case scenario is a six-week lay-off for the Sunderland and Barnsley man, who is the only player to have started all the Blues' 33 games in league and cup, scoring two goals and collecting four yellow cards. On the tackle that has left Lumsdon on the treatment table, McDonald said : "Their lad got booked, which says it all I suppose."