Doncaster Rovers: 'I brought Cameron John back early' admits Darren Moore

Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee John made his first senior appearance in more than two months as Rovers slumped out of the FA Cup at Gillingham on Sunday.

Moore is typically cautious when it comes to players’ returns from injury, preferring to ensure they are up to full fitness before calling on their services.

But with Tom Anderson suspended and Donervon Daniels missing out due to concussion, Moore says he had little choice but to bring John back in early.

“It was great to have Cameron back in because we needed him with the suspension and Donervon missing,” the Rovers boss said.

“We brought him back in relatively early. I think it was probably seven days or so early.

“But because of the situation, we had to play him.

“It was good to see him come through it and that 90 minutes will have done him the world of good.

“He’s come back at a level of fitness which is testament to him. To come into a game like this especially.

“Ideally we’d have liked to play him in the Leasing.com Trophy game on Wednesday [against Leicester City U21s] and that would have been his game to come back.”

Daniels had looked set to be available for the Gillingham trip after progressing well through the FA’s concussion protocol but was not quite ready for selection.

“Medically it’s important that we follow that,” Moore said.

“The player’s health is the main priority and he wasn’t quite fit to play.

“It’d have been nice to have had him on Sunday and we did try to do everything we could because we knew the type of game it would be and Donervon’s size and physique would have been ideal to have had.

“Taking all that away, it was great to have Cameron back in there.”

Anderson is set to miss he next two league fixtures against MK Dons and AFC Wimbledon due to his three game suspension.