Doncaster Rovers

Darren Ferguson feels having a settled team is paying benefits ahead of the visit of Yeovil.

Rovers should remain unchanged for Saturday’s game and have taken seven points from their past three games to sit sixth in the table, and Ferguson has noted improvements in each outing.

He said: “We have improved through the games, especially the last two with clean sheets, which is obviously what we are looking for.

“I've been pleased. We need to keep improving and keep getting wins along the way. We didn’t give much away against Crawley, though the goal we were disappointed with. It was certainly an improvement from the Accrington game when they were just a little bit anxious.

“But we’ve improved since then. We’ve gone from a back three to back four due to circumstances, and the back four in the past two games have done very well.

“Having a settled team is really important. Once you start breaking that up with injuries it makes a real difference.

“We've just not had that. We’re only four games in, but having a settled team will make a real difference.”

On-loan Chelsea youngster Jordan Houghton has impressed supporters with his ability to control games, something which has not been lost on Ferguson.

He said: “With the way I want to play, that role is probably the most important one in the team. In terms of controlling the tempo of the game, organising things when we are attacking and ,defensively, sitting in front of the centre-halves – it’s a lot to do, and I think he has done it really well.

“He has grown with the performances. He has been an important part of that. He understands his role in the team and, as we have more training and games, the players get a better understanding.

“He has maturity and experience of the league. He had very good offers to go on loan to clubs higher up the pyramid, but he understood where we wanted him to play. I think he has done the right thing in the sense that he wants to play games.

“He has picked up his role very well. I was never overly concerned about his age, if you’re good enough then age is irrelevant to me.”

Ferguson also confirmed that some of the younger members of the squad could go out on loan in a bid to gain first-team experience.

He added: “There are one or two young players we are keen to get out and gain experience, and are working on that.

“We are trying to get links with some clubs. Paul Butler, who now does the recruitment, has been speaking to non-league clubs to try and get a link going.”