Barnsley FC head coach Darrell Clarke provides update on Josh Benson ahead of FA Cup tie with Bristol Rovers

Benson has been out of action since late October.

He came off in the EFL Trophy defeat at Huddersfield Town in early October with a hamstring complaint. He returned to the side for the final trophy group game against Doncaster Rovers on October 29, but has been absent since.

The luckless midfielder has been bedevilled by injury issues in the past year and has made just three starts this term, all in the trophy.

His last league start was on October 21 last year.

Clarke, whose side welcome Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup on Saturday, said: "He has his first full training on Monday and is back in full training, so hopefully we can keep him for a substantial period of time and make sure he is not having those little niggles and strains that just keep holding him back a bit.”

Clarke is still without the injured duo of loan keeper Gaga Slonina and striker Max Watters.

A sum of £75,000 is up for grabs for second-round winners, not to mention the money-spinning potential to land a ‘big fish’ in the third round in January, one of the marquee weekends in the football calendar.

Staying focused, Clarke, who faces another former club in Rovers after successfully putting his wits with Port Vale in round one, added: “If…. For sure, it’s about concentrating on performance to get the result, that’s always the focus.

"We have to make sure we’re in the third round to even start thinking about that. All concentrate ahead is on Bristol Rovers to try and win that game.

"They have had lots of changeover in summer and invested into the squad and have gone for younger players and paid good fees for younger players.

"They are middle of the table, with a good manager in Matt (Taylor), who is experienced and I am sure they will want to get into the third round as much as we do.”

The Reds beat Rovers 2-1 in a league fixture at Oakwell in early September, with Davis Keillor-Dunn finding the net on his debut.