Doncaster Rovers boss Grant McCann is likely to experiment with the team in tonight’s EFL Trophy match with Liverpool Under-21s
Doncaster Rovers will return to first team action when they face Liverpool Under-21s in the second group game of their EFL Trophy campaign.
It’s the team’s first fixture in nearly three weeks after a 17-day break without a fixture, and a chance for the players to shake off the cobwebs to make sure that they are in tip-top condition for what most fans will view as a much bigger match in four days at home to Burton Albion in the league.
Doncasters' manager Grant McCann and assistant manager Cliff Byrne. (Picture Bruce Rollinson/AHPIX LTD)placeholder image
Doncasters' manager Grant McCann and assistant manager Cliff Byrne. (Picture Bruce Rollinson/AHPIX LTD) | (Picture Bruce Rollinson/AHPIX LTD)
However, in the words of assistant coach Cliff Byrne it still remains very much a competition that the club ‘want to progress in’ having made it all the way to the semi-final last season.
Rovers will be without the likes of Bayley McCann, Darren Robinson, Tommy Simkin, Sean Grehan and Leon Ayinde as they play the final fixtures of their international breaks before returning to the fray for Burton.
This means that it could be potentially a huge opportunity for a few slightly out-of-favour players to make an impression and do everything in their power to force their way into Grant McCann’s first team plans.
Josh Clarke has become Doncaster Rovers' seventh signing of the summer transfer window.placeholder image
Josh Clarke has become Doncaster Rovers' seventh signing of the summer transfer window. | Doncaster Rovers
Josh Clarke: Former Celtic youngster Josh Clarke was signed from Patrick Thistle this summer, making him the first permanent addition to the goalkeeping department at senior level since Ian Lawlor’s exit. The Northern Irishmen has played in two cup games so far and has been on the wrong end of 3-1 defeats to Middlesbrough and Huddersfield Town. Despite conceding six, he’s not really put a footwork in between the posts, but he’ll hope on this occasion he can keep a cleansheet and boost his chances of eventually usurping Tommy Simkin as the No.1.
Jay McGrath: At the start of the season local lad Jay McGrath was a regular starter in the backline. However, since a 3-2 defeat at home to Plymouth he hasn’t played a minute of first team football with James Husband often featuring as a makeshift centre back alongside Sean Grehan and Neill Byrne in recent weeks. The 23-year-old will be keen to get some minutes and prove to the manager he can be trusted to start on a more regular basis in central defence.
Tom Nixon: With Jamie Sterry still currently nursing an injury, Tom Nixon could be handed his first opportunity to feature this season. The right-back has had an injury-hit start to the campaign but has been back in training for a few weeks and will see this as potential chance to shine.
Harry Clifton: The former Grimsby Town man has also had an injury-hit start to the campaign which has kept him off the pitch since the 3-1 EFL Trophy loss to Huddersfield Town. Clifton impressed in that game, making an assist in a wider role and was one of the bright sparks on the pitch for McCann’s side. He’s yet to start a single league match this season and will look to gain fitness after undergoing a double hernia operation last month.
Doncaster Rovers midfielder Harry Clifton (Image: Howard Roe/AHPIX LTD)placeholder image
Doncaster Rovers midfielder Harry Clifton (Image: Howard Roe/AHPIX LTD) | (Image: Howard Roe/AHPIX LTD)
Hakeeb Adelakun: The 30-year-old is yet to hit the heights of his first spell at Doncaster Rovers. Last time around in 2024/25, he arrived mid-season and dragged Grant McCann’s side up to the table after an underwhelming start. He showed flickers of that towards the end of last season albeit on a much less consistent basis, but has this term really struggled for game time having not made the squad once since the loss to Huddersfield in the EFL Trophy despite being matchfit. With McCann and Ayinde on international duty, Adelakun will hope this is his chance to shine and show what he’s capable of in attack.