Doncaster Rovers v Stevenage: MATCH CENTRE
BILLY Paynter is fit and ready to resume his partnership with Chris Brown against unbeaten Stevenage.
Paynter returned to full training this week and will hope to carry on where he left off at Yeovil where he scored his first Rovers goal with almost the last touch of the game.
Suanders must decide whether to revert back to a 4-4-2 after operating with a five-man midfield at Colchester and Sheffield United.
Rovers’ boss spoke this week about rotating his squad ahead of five games in the next fortnight - but wholesale changes are more likely to be kept for next week’s trip to Norwich in the Capital One Cup.
Neil Sullivan is Doncaster’s only injury absentee with a calf injury.
AT THE TRAINING GROUND
Dean Saunders: “We didn’t keep the ball well enough on Tuesday night, especially when we were under pressure.
“We didn’t manage to string five or six passes together and play our way up the pitch.
“But I can’t complain too much.
“Speaking to the lads it’s a long time since a Doncaster team has put in a performance like that away from home.
“But all the focus is on Stevenage now and it’s my job to make sure I get the right players on the pitch.
“A lot of the lads are at different stages of fitness.
“Iain Hume didn’t kick a ball at Preston, James Harper didn’t have a pre-season with anybody, Robbie Blake hasn’t played for a year, Shelton Martis missed the whole of pre-season and James Husband’s still learning the game.
“I’ve got to try and ease those lads in.
“Whether they can play for an hour, or come on for the last half hour, we’ve got to just try and keep picking up points while the team’s still gelling.”
Probable Rovers line-up (4-4-2): Woods; Quinn, McCombe, Jones, Spurr; Cotterill, Keegan, Syers, Woods; Brown, Paynter.
KEY MAN
Skipper Rob Jones has led by example this season and his ability to head away danger will be called upon again this weekend.
As a partnership, Jones and Jamie McCombe had their best game against Sheffield United and are set to face a similar aerial bombardment this weekend.
OPPOSITION VIEW:
Gary Smith: “They’ve started to put together some good results, which is to be expected because they’re a good, strong side.
“They’ll be one of the favourites to be in that mix to go up, so it’ll be an extremely tough challenge and one the guys will relish.
“They’ve got some good players and their form is starting to show that.
“We’ve been decent on the road so far and we’ll look to try to remain unbeaten if we can.”
Match odds: Rovers 13/10 Draw 9/4 Stevenage 21/10
Stevenage last game: Walsall (h) 3-1
Head to Head: Rovers wins 2, Stevenage wins 3, draws 5.
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Weather for South Yorkshire
Friday 24 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 10 C
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