Joe Sbarra on aiming for another Doncaster Rovers first, Chesterfield clash and Billy Sharp jibes

In midweek against Manchester United's under-21s, the midfielder then notched his first goal in red-and-white albeit thanks to the aid of a handy deflection.

Now, the 25-year-old is aiming for another first: a maiden league start for Grant McCann's side. Amid a talented squad, the former Burton Albion man has patiently had to wait for the nod from the start.

But it feels closer than ever after recent showings.

"Yeah, it'd be really nice," he told the Free Press ahead of a tasty-looking home encounter against Chesterfield.

"One of the main things I want to do is keep my numbers up in terms of goals and assists and so if the gaffer chooses me I've got to make sure I keep performing to a high standard and try and give him a headache.

"I'm not the sort of person to throw the toys out of the pram, especially when the boys have been playing how they have been. You'd be pretty foolish to go in and say 'I should be starting' when we're where we are in the table. It's just about biding your time until you eventually get the opportunity and then when you do it's about grabbing it with both hands."

This weekend's meeting with Paul Cook not only provides a chance for Rovers to get back to winning ways after just one point from their last two league matches. It also presents an opportunity to rack up 12 consecutive league home wins and set a brand new club record.

Sbarra concurs that it is a fair old carrot dangling in front of him and his colleagues.

"We go into every game aiming for the win but especially when there's something like that on the line," he says. "It just gives you that little bit of extra motivation especially with the atmosphere that there'll be.

"I've played against Chesterfield the last few years obviously in the National League and they're a very good team but we're confident going into games."

Sbarra became the first arrival in what proved to be an efficient and impressive summer of recruitment by McCann. As such he got first dibs on which available squad number he would like and duly picked the sought-after number 10 shirt.

In his dealings with the media his colleague Billy Sharp suggested tongue-in-cheek that he had desperately wanted that number before having to settle on 14.

So, did Sbarra get any stick from the returning hero?

A smirk appears across his face as he says: "Billy's not given me any stick personally but some of my mates have!

"They were ribbing me telling me 'you've got to give it to him!' and I was like 'I've already been given it'. It's funny because I saw Tommy Rowe (playing for Man United's under-21s and Rovers' previous incumbent of number ten shirt) too, so there's big boots to fill - no pressure!"