Doncaster Rovers suffer yet another injury blow as striker’s season is ended

Striker Lavery will need surgery after tearing a ligament in his knee during last weekend’s 2-0 defeat to Northampton Town.

The 30-year-old had just begun to find his feet at Doncaster, having been forced to bide his time since joining the club in January following an impressive spell at Scunthorpe.

The club’s head coach Danny Schofield said: “He'd been carrying a knee injury for a while and that deteriorated in the game.

"He'll be back for day one of pre-season."

A further five Rovers players – George Miller, Harrison Biggins, Ollie Younger, Jon Taylor and Charlie Lakin – are out of the season due to injury and as many as 11 first-teamers could be unavailable for Saturday's visit of Crewe.

Lavery’s absence leaves Kieran Agard at the club’s only other recognised senior striker.

Agard has been on the fringes for much of the campaign and has not started a match since October, when he scored the last of his three goals this term.

Todd Miller and youth team striker Jack Goodman are also available to Schofield, who confirmed Reo Griffiths cannot be recalled from his loan at Yeovil Town.

Schofield said: “It’s an opportunity for other players to come in and perform, whether they play in a position that’s not where they have played before, or if we call on the other strikers we have at the club.”

James Brown was also taken off injured against Northampton and is yet to train this week.

Schofield rates the defender’s chances of making this weekend’s clash at ‘fifty-fifty’.