Grant McCann on Doncaster Rovers' blank midweek and 'bounce' match thoughts

Rovers don't have a midweek match, with a full week separating last Saturday's draw at Sutton United and the upcoming visit of Tranmere Rovers.

From now until the end of the season three-game weeks are a regularity, with Rovers having to squeeze in a handful of rearranged matches.

For McCann and his coaching staff, they are hoping to use the time wisely as they look to drill their ideas into the players at Cantley Park. There was a suggestion that another 'bounce' match could have been shoehorned into this blank week, enabling some of the players from injury to get some much-needed game time. That was the case last month when a number of first-teamers got valuable run-outs in a behind-closed-doors game at Harrogate.

But this time around McCann has opted against that, instead preferring to concentrate his efforts on the training ground.

Speaking to the Free Press, the Rovers boss said: "We plan around six weeks in advance, so the players will have a detailed, six-week schedule. They'll know exactly where they're going and what they're doing. We have to look at the squad and see where they are at. But it's about working and working and trying to build some momentum in these last 17 games.

"We got a point at Sutton but it's about improving all the time. It's difficult to fit bounce games in because it affects your training week a little bit.

"We felt that particular week (versus Harrogate) it was fine because we were on the back of a few games. This week it's probably best if we keep the group together, have a week full of training and then look forward to the Tranmere game."

The injury situation is starting to clear up, with the likes of Richard Wood, James Maxwell and Jon Taylor out of the treatment room although Ben Close and Zain Westbrooke remain unavailable.