Rovers have a busy August ahead.placeholder image
Rovers have a busy August ahead.
Doncaster Rovers were handed a fairly slow-paced opening to the season - but that all changes from next week.
Grant McCann's side had a blank midweek between their first two matches: Exeter City last Saturday and a trip to Mansfield Town this weekend. But the schedule goes up a notch from now on, with midweek matches guaranteed for the remainder of the month.
Next Tuesday (August 12) sees Rovers head up the road to Middlesbrough in a Carabao Cup first round clash.
They then return home to host Wycombe (August 16) before going to Huddersfield three days later. Port Vale away (August 23) and Rotherham (August 30) at home complete the league fixtures for the opening month. And it's now become clear that there'll be a further game sandwiched between those two - most likely on Tuesday, August 26.
That's because they'll either be in the second round of the League Cup or their home fixture with Everton under-21s in the group stage of the EFL Trophy will be pencilled in for that date.
McCann explained: "We have seven games left this month. If we beat Middlesbrough then the second round takes place that night and if we don't then the Everton game will be brought forward.
"So either way we've got seven more matches this month. It's a bit crazy when you think about it because they (organisers) brought the season forward but you still end up with eight games this month. They probably need to have a look at that. It is what it is though and we need the group to be ready for it."
Rovers' other EFL Trophy group matches already have fixed dates. They travel to Grimsby on Tuesday, October 7 and host Bradford on Tuesday, November 11. The Everton game would of course be shifted further down the line should Rovers progress in the Carabao Cup.
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