Saunders targets Palace double for Doncaster

Dean Saunders set his side a target of six wins from their remaining 12 games two weeks ago but they have picked up only one point from their four games since then.

They are on a three-game losing streak ahead of tonight’s visit to the capital, but with Coventry City and Bristol City both having played a game more and out of action, it represents a golden opportunity to make up some ground.

Rovers are second bottom, four points adrift of Coventry and five behind Bristol, who occupy the position the bottom three are striving to reach.

Failure to pick up any points tonight would leave little margin for error ahead of a tricky final seven games which sees Rovers play three teams chasing promotion, starting on Friday night against Birmingham.

What will hearten Rovers is that they earned their first win of the season against Palace back in September in Saunders’s first game in charge.

And the manager has been boosted by the return of defender Shelton Martis.

Martis has impressed on his return from a long-term groin problem over the past month, but then missed the last three games with hamstring and calf problems.

Brian Stock’s recovery from a groin injury has been checked by a virus just as the midfielder was stepping up his return to training.

Kyle Bennett – who found the net in the recent draw with Reading – came off the bench at the weekend having missed the defeat to Millwall with an ongoing toe injury.

George Friend, who was named in the matchday squad for the first time since damaging knee ligaments in January at Southampton last Saturday, is also in contention. Martin Woods (knee) is still a week away while full-back Tommy Spurr (hand) is out for the season having undergone surgery.

Last time: Crystal Palace 1 Doncaster Rovers 0; Saturday, November 27, 2010; Championship.

Last six games: Crystal Palace WDDDWL, Doncaster WDDLLL.

Referee: D Deadman (Cambridgeshire).

Middlesbrough visit Ipswich looking to complete a game that began nearly two months ago.

Back on February 11, the Portman Road fixture between the two teams was abandoned after 37 minutes due to a frozen pitch.

Midfielder Barry Robson is back in contention but Faris Haroun, Scott McDonald and Rhys Williams are all out.