Doncaster Rovers could gradually ease returning pair back into first-team action

Both players featured for just over an hour in Tuesday’s 4-2 Papa Johns Trophy defeat to Barnsley and, according to Anderson, came through unscathed.

They previously suffered setbacks upon their return to playing earlier this season following long spells on the sidelines.

McSheffrey, whose side are on the road at Carlisle United on Saturday, said: “It’s all about managing player loads.

"We have got to remember they have missed a lot of football.

"To expect them to come back and be in the form they were before they had big injuries is probably unrealistic.

"If they can start (this weekend) then great, but at the same time we don’t want to lose them again.

"There’s decisions, but we need to think how robust people are at this moment in time as well.”

Central defender Anderson has made just five appearances for Doncaster in 2022, while winger Taylor has played eight times since the start of last season.

Striker George Miller made his return from a hamstring injury as a half-time substitute against Barnsley and scored two well-taken goals.

He now has eight goals in just 13 appearances since signing for Rovers this summer.

"George looked sharp,” said McSheffrey.

"Kieran (Agard) has had food poisoning for a couple of days and we only had two strikers going into it. It would have been silly to start them both and risk George’s hamstring injury.

“For him to have a half and score a couple, it was really good that he came through it.”