Grant McCann reveals Doncaster Rovers injury blow with defender set for spell on sidelines

The 39-year-old has suffered a reoccurrence of an ankle knock first picked in a pre-season outing at Stamford in July.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's home game against Morecambe, Rovers boss Grant McCann said: "Woody's not going to make it on Saturday. We're just waiting to see how he goes. I don't think it'll be too good and he might be missing for a while.

"He nipped it in the Stamford game and did it again in training probably three weeks after that. And then it got too much for him really. I should have a bit more information after Saturday's game.

"He was really frustrated the first half of last season because, of all things, it was a calf issue that we thought was just a tight calf.

"It turned into quite a nasty calf injury which he struggled to get back from. And now he's obviously picked up this calf injury that he did in pre-season. It's just got on top of him.

He got collided with at Newport quite late on. We probably should have taken him off but we had no subs to bring on. We should have taken him off and gone to ten men because it may have helped him a little bit but Woody being Woody, he didn't want to come off. He soldiered through and that's what he is: a warrior."

McCann did confirm that Kyle Hurst (calf) is ready to return against the Shrimps after a full week of training, after missing out at Newport. Ben Close, who has been out long-term since the start of the year, is being lined up for a return in next month's EFL Trophy tie against Huddersfield Town.