Manager Dean Saunders spoke to Rovers Player ahead of the JPT game against Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday night (7.30pm)
Dean has various injury worries to contend with going into the Northern Area Quarter Final tie and has re-iterated the importance of Saturday’s league fixture against Swindon Town.
Dean will be without the services of Martin Woods (thigh), David Syers (ankle), Paul Keegan (suspended), whilst Kyle Bennett has taken part in training but will miss out.
Jamie McCombe, Tommy Spurr and Michael Woods all missed training due to illness however will be assessed ahead of the game.
James Harper and Andy Griffin have returned to training whilst David Cotterill and Iain Hume are available after suspension.
“We’ve got a few problems injury wise,” said Saunders
“Obviously the most important thing for me is the Swindon Town game – I have to do what’s right for the football club.
“We’ve got a trip down to Swindon, which is quite a long way, but I have to try and put a team on the pitch, on Tuesday night, which can win that game.
“I have to have one eye on Saturday and make sure that we can get a team on the pitch that is going to beat Swindon too – as you’ve seen if we’re not at full strength we’re not the same team.
Rules state that six of the starting eleven players either must have started the previous game or will start the following game something Dean stated is to ensure the competition doesn’t get devalued.
“The rule is there to make sure the competition doesn’t get devalued by teams just playing their youth team.
“David Cotterill and Iain Hume we’re suspended on Saturday and won’t be counted as one of the starters, it’s not that you have to play six players with the most appearances - I’ve got to play six players who started against Oldham on Saturday.”
Dean is looking for a reaction from the squad after Saturday’s defeat to Oldham and has revealed that he is looking for his players to show determination to win the game.
“Crewe are probably the biggest team we’ve played this season, in terms of height so they are no push overs by any means.
“We’ve already played them this season and they beat us – we had chances but failed to take them. We have to try and put that right, I want to see everybody put in a good performance, I want to see players who want to win, who are determined and want to do the ugly side too.
“It’s hard to find players who like doing the other side of the game, but I’ve managed to do that in the summer. We didn’t do it, as a team, on Saturday so I want to see a reaction tomorrow.”