Danny Schofield offers his Doncaster Rovers assessment after one month in charge

Schofield has not hesitated to ring the changes since his appointment, most notably switching the team's playing style to a possession-based approach from his first game in the dugout after just two training sessions.

The training schedule has also been altered with a focus on improving the players' fitness levels to help them adapt to his high-energy tactics.

"We are trying to improve standards and behaviours,” said Schofield, who has won two, lost three and drawn one of his first five games as head coach.

"We are trying to always improve the fundamentals to make us competitive in whatever we want to do. The players have been fantastic, as people and as players.”

While there was no hiding the disappointment of last weekend’s 3-0 defeat to lowly Colchester United, there have been signs of progression under Schofield.

He said: “We have had some really good performances and some good wins.”

Schofield did not want a 13-day break between fixtures, but Doncaster’s early FA Cup exit means they will not play until next Friday’s visit of Walsall (7.45pm kick-off).

The first team will take part in an in-house 11-v-11 game on Saturday to maintain their match sharpness.

Rovers had tried to find an external opponent for this weekend but were unable to settle on a date with one Championship side, who have been abroad on a warm-weather training camp.

Schofield said: “It’s another two weeks to work with the players to really work with them and improve what we are tying to do.”