Doncaster Rovers injury round-up: Defender back for Northampton but one player out for season
Doncaster Rovers manager Grant McCann has provided a team news update as the end of the season draws closer.
Rovers posted a timely win over Reading last weekend to take a large step towards confirming their place in League One for next season. Realistically, only Exeter City - who occupy the fourth and final relegation place - can catch Rovers but there are a glut of teams in-between them in a congested bottom half of the table. Centre-half Neill Byrne sat out the win over the Royals after having to go off in the previous game - ironically against Exeter - with a hamstring injury.
Providing a fresh update on the Bradford City loanee, McCann said: "Neill tried to train on Thursday and got through a part of the session but is still just aware of the issue he has. He'll be fine for next week (at Northampton) and so he'll be available for us."
Fellow centre-half Matty Pearson shook off a dead leg, also sustained against the Grecians, to feature against Reading with Jay McGrath coming off the bench late on to help see out the win having struggled with tonsillitis in the build-up. "Jay was ill all week but came in on Friday and did part of a session and was fine to come off the bench late on against Reading," McCann said. "I imagine he'll have a good week of training and then come back fully into our thinking for next week."
As for veteran striker Billy Sharp, he remains sidelined with a calf injury that has now seen him miss the last five matches. "We'll see how Billy is after another week," his manager said. "He's had a couple of days away with his family just to try and let it settle down so let's just see where he's at for Northampton."
Meanwhile, one player who won't feature for the run-in is youngster Sam Straughan-Brown. The midfielder had been on loan at Peterborough Sports prior to a recall last month. But McCann told the Free Press that the 19-year-old has suffered a season-ending injury.
"Sam unfortunately is going to be out for the rest of the season after picking up a thigh injury. It's disappointing because I've no doubt he would have probably found himself in and around the team before the end of the season."