Boss Kieran McKenna relieved Ipswich Town forward Marcus Harness' injury is not more serious

Marcus Harness has scored five League One goals so far this season.

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna feels relieved despite revealing Marcus Harness needs knee surgery.

The 26-year-old attacker was forced off inside half an hour of Tuesday's 2-0 defeat at home to Portsmouth in the Papa John's Trophy.

McKenna revealed a scan showed Harness has a small meniscus tear and will have surgery on Saturday morning.

"It's not too major of a surgery and I'm hoping he can be back with us as soon as possible," McKenna added.

McKenna hit out at speculation that the former Portsmouth player - who scored one and made the other in a 2-0 win at Exeter last weekend - could be sidelined for three months.

McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk: "He's a really strong-minded and determined character. The timescale for that will be determined by the surgeon after the surgery.

"To be honest there is a feeling among the club and Marcus of relief that it's not worse. It could have been something a lot more serious. At the moment the outlook is much brighter than it was on Tuesday night.

"Unless anyone has a crystal ball you can't tell the timescale until the surgeon goes in and looks at the knee. At the moment they're pretty positive and hopefully they still will be after the surgery,"

Harness has scored seven goals for the Tractor Boys since being signed in the summer.