Danny Schofield is champing at the bit for match action after Rovers’ enforced break from play.
Rovers are set for their first game in three weeks as they visit Mansfield Town on Saturday, following the postponement of fixtures with Crawley Town and Tranmere Rovers over successive weekends.
Schofield on facing Mansfield:
“We’re really looking forward to it. I think we’re close to selling out our allocation of tickets. We did the same at Grimsby, which was a fantastic day with a good performance and result. If we can get anywhere near that performance, we’ll be competitive and hopefully we’ll get a positive result out of it.
“It’s been a long time since we last played a football game so to play something of a local derby, it’s one we’re looking forward to.
“We try to approach every game the same, with it being of utmost importance. But with it being fairly local, us not having played for a while, playing a team around in the table, it adds to the importance without mentioning it. We know it’s an important game and we’ll be well prepared to perform.”
On the disruption of having games postponed:
“It’s not easy. You train all week to prepare for games - that’s what training is, preparing for a specific game. All the reflection and learning is done after games. It has been a but frustrating but we’ve tried to utilise the weeks the best we can.
“We always try to train at a high intensity and prepare for match demands in training so that’s what we’ve continued to do. Hopefully the lads will be champing at the bit, which I think they are.
“We had an outstanding session on Wednesday in terms of the intensity and what they put into it and they gave the impression they’re ready to play on Saturday.
“We spoke about not having games to play in our meeting on Wednesday, that we need to continue the momentum we had at the start of the month. Although it feels like a year since the last game, we need to be able to reflect on that game and carry the positives into the game against Mansfield.”
On the health of the squad:
“Definitely Joseph Olowu is probably available for Mansfield. Tommy Rowe and Ollie Younger, not yet.
“Potentially Tommy will be ready for the Hartlepool game. Ollie Younger will be a few weeks after that.
“It’s been one of the positives of the games being postponed that those players will be available for more games and it’s give us time to work with the new players, get them up to speed and more aligned with what we do.”
On attacking options available following Caolan Lavery’s arrival:
“I think it gives us a different option now. He can play with George [Miller], he can play instead of George. I’m not hell-bent on formations, I’m more more based on defensive and attacking principles. I can adapt in terms of that. I think he gives us more options in the attacking line.”
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