The fan favourite was forced off in the 14th minute of Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat at Notts County. The Jamaica international received treatment for several minutes from Wednesday’s medical staff and looked in some discomfort as he left the pitch. Bernard, who cut a devastated figure, was replaced at centre-back by Gabriel Otegbayo, who gave away the penalty for County’s opener.
Boss Henrik Pedersen told the media: “It’s the opposite knee from where he had the injury. It was better after the game than when he just felt it in the game. We are still waiting for the assessment to clarify what is the challenge.”
The Dane had no complaints over Jamal Lowe’s dismissal. The forward, Wednesday’s seven-goal scorer, was shown a straight red cad after a late lunge on Jacob Bedeau.
“A red card is not what you need at 1-0 down and Jamal knows that” admitted Pedersen.
The experienced frontman mistimed his challenge after taking a heavy touch and appeared to injure himself in the process. He was helped off the pitch by Wednesday’s medical team. When asked if Lowe had picked up a knock, Pedersen replied: “I don’t know; I’ve not heard about this.”
Pedersen was left bitterly disappointed with his team’s performance after watching them fall to their second defeat of the season. “To compete and win a game of football in League One, all the basics have to be done and I think we are under our level in the first half for the basics; for the the intensity of the game and the second ball for the duels,” he said. “We weren’t at the level that we have been that we were on Saturday and before tonight’s game. On the ball, we made too many easy mistakes and got transitioned against. We were under our level for where we want to be in the first half.
“We had a difficult beginning in the second half with the red card. The boys worked hard but it was too late.”
Wednesday will have to make at least two enforced changes when they return to action at Doncaster Rovers on Saturday. Influential midfielder Callum Slattery will sit out the Yorkshire derby, having picked up his fifth yellow card of the season at Meadow Lane.
Despite suffering their second defeat of the season, Pedersen’s team remain in sixth position, four points off leaders Stockport County with a game in hand.
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