Doncaster Rovers: Danny Schofield reveals message to George Miller as goal drought continues

Rovers’ 11-goal top-scorer has gone eight games without scoring and missed a golden opportunity to end his drought in Saturday’s defeat to Mansfield.

Had the chance been converted with the score at 3-1, it might have turned the tide in the game which eventually finished 4-1 in favour of Nigel Clough’s side.

Schofield acknowledged the significance of the opportunity after the match and said: “On another day those go in.

"I said to both him and Caolan Lavery ‘you are going to miss chances, you have just got to keep getting in those areas and never shy away from getting in between the goalposts to score’.

"Strikers always have these moments, I am sure he’s going to score goals from now until the end of the season.”

Miller needs just one more goal to equal his best-ever tally in a single season, which he achieved on loan at Walsall last term.

The 24-year-old has been used as a lone striker for much of the campaign but linked up well with debutant Lavery in the second half at the One Call Stadium, with the pair both creating chances for each other.

Lavery was one of five debutants fielded by Schofield at the weekend.

The Rovers boss highlighted their inclusion as a positive despite the defeat and said: “Caolan and James Brown in particular had an impact because they have played more games.

"They gave us an attacking impetus and helped us score that good goal by Kyle Hurst.”

Schofield, whose side are five points off the play-offs following their eleventh defeat of the season, added: "I think they will continue to improve, buy into what we do and integrate with the players.”

It remains to be seen whether Schofield will add any more new faces to his squad before tomorrow’s 11pm transfer deadline.

English Football League clubs will still be able to sign free agents after the January transfer window shuts.

Players can also head out on loan to non-league sides after tomorrow.

Strikers Kieran Agard and Reo Griffiths are among those players who could depart Rovers after finding themselves down the pecking order following Lavery’s arrival from Scunthorpe United last week.

Both were left out of the matchday squad on Saturday.