Doncaster Rovers have eyes on progression as EFL Trophy rules may help Rotherham United
Rotherham United and Doncaster Rovers both know victory on Tuesday will take them through to the knockout stages of the Football League Trophy.
For the Millers, anything less at home to Newcastle United's Under-21s and they will be out; for Doncaster, failing to win at League Two Rochdale mans they will have to cheer Huddersfield Town on at home to Liverpool's Under-21s the following week.
Many a manager will be citing the demands of the fixture list for squad rotation, and whilst there will be some from Doncaster, assistant manager Cliff Byrne insists his club values progressing.
“It's a competition that stands alone by itself,” said Byrne, himself rotated into media duties.
“We want to go as far as we can in the competition, we made no bones about that last season and this season.
“The selection will be with winning in mind. But it's very difficult and challenging to ask the same XI to go time and again.
“This league season on season it does present you with Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday-Tuesday quite regularly so it's no big outlier. Games come thick and fast and we're looking forward to them.”
Doubly so, says Byrne, after Saturday's 6-1 defeat at Milton Keynes Dons.
“When you come off the back of a defeat and a poor performance you definitely want the opportunity to rectify it,” he said.
For Rotherham, competition rules could come to their aid.
Kian Spence, Jili Buyabu and Dominic Iorfa are serving bans which do not apply to the Trophy, and the Millers might need them with injuries piling up too.
Fabio Tavares will not play again this season, and Ewan Otoo and Ossama Ashley are out for the long term.
Jamie Jellis has a knee problem, and Josh Austerfield and Joe Rafferty picked knocks in Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Swindon Town.