Doncaster Rovers boss admits he has big decision to make on key defender’s season

Schofield must decide whether or not to risk captain Tom Anderson for the clash, which could be pivotal in Doncaster's play-off push with the Ammies also in the hunt for a top seven spot.

Anderson was not risked against Wimbledon last weekend due to a back problem, having suffered a succession of injuries over the last 18 months.

Asked if he will be available this weekend, Schofield told The Free Press: “I’d probably put him at fifty-fifty for this game.

"With the potential of him being fit for the rest of the season, I’ve got to make a decision on whether we put Tom back into the fold.”

Schofield has already lost the services of on-loan midfielder Charlie Lakin for the rest of the season due to a hip injury.

He may also need to sign a goalkeeper on an emergency seven-day loan with Jonathan Mitchell yet to train this week.

Doncaster’s first-choice goalkeeper injured his shoulder in the win over the Dons but managed to see out the rest of the match.

The club’s only other fit shot-stopper currently is 17-year-old first-year scholar Jake Oram.

English Football League (EFL) rules state that its members can sign a goalkeeper temporarily if all the ‘professional goalkeepers’ at their club are unavailable.

A ‘professional goalkeeper’ is classed as a player who has been named in the starting eleven five or more times for a Premier League or EFL club in any competitions, excluding the Papa John’s Trophy.

EFL regulations also say all emergency loan deals ‘shall be for a period of seven days and may be renewed for seven days at a time’ depending on the situation.

Goalkeepers cannot be loaned from Premier League clubs.

Meanwhile, Ro-Shaun Williams has stepped up his recovery from a shin injury.

“He has increased his running on the AlterG machine, the anti-gravity running to take the weight off that area,” said Schofield.

"He’s champing at the bit to be back and he’s trying to be back for the Crawley game. Whether that is too soon, we’ll see how he progresses with that.”

Doncaster could move within three points of seventh-placed Salford with a game in hand if they win on Saturday.